'The Wedding Ringer,' 'SNL' Host Kevin Hart Brings the Bromance, the Laughs and Can Teach You How to 'Dougie' on the Dance Floor to Success (EXCLUSIVE)
If you're socially challenged, in need of a bromance, a slick dancer to teach you how to "Dougie" and make you look like the coolest guy on the planet to the girl of your dreams on your wedding day, then Kevin Hart is your man!
In "The Wedding Ringer," which hits theaters on Friday, Jan. 16, Hart plays the fast-talking, quick-witted Jimmy Callahan, owner and CEO of Best Man, Inc., a company that provides flattering best men for socially challenged guys in need of a character boost.
But in real life, it seems that having a real-life bromance with the actor/comedian would be the best gig in town.
Needless to say, Hart, who spoke to Latin Post in an exclusive interview, is on a roll. This weekend he will host "Saturday Night Live" for the second time, he presented at the Golden Globes this week alongside the stunning Salma Hayek and he was named Comedy Star of the Year at the PEOPLE Magazine Awards.
Hart also has three No. 1 movies in 2014, including: "Ride Along," "Think Like a Man Too" and "About Last Night," not to mention very probable fourth and fifth hits including the upcoming "The Wedding Ringer" and "Get Hard" with co-star Will Ferrell, which its theaters on March 27, 2015.
"They are amazing characters," Hart said of "The Wedding Ringer" cast, which includes "Frozen's" Josh Gad, "The Big Bang Theory's" Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting and the legendary Cloris Leachman, among others.
"We got lucky. They brought so much to the table. Those guys made all of that happen ... the co-stars everybody brought something to it."
On working with "SNL" alum Ferrell, Hart added: "He's the epitome of comedy ... of improv. I'm indebted to that guy and the fact that I got to work with him was unreal."
Hart's also been a hit on the BET's reality spoof "Real Husband of Hollywood," which is in its fourth season. He has impressive DVD sales for his comedy concerts and his 2011 "Laugh at My Pain" DVD went double platinum in less than a month despite the decline in home entertainment sales, The Hollywood Reporter points out.
He still shows some love to the local comedy circuit by doing stand-up performances in smaller venues. "His 2012 tour, 'Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain,' was seen in 10 countries and 80 cities, and sold more than 540,000 tickets, making it one of the most successful comedy tours to date," THR adds. "Hart also sold out Madison Square Garden (only the sixth comedian ever to do so) and earned more than $1 million in Los Angeles on one evening alone."
He has also been very professional after the Sony Pictures debacle (Sony's Screen Gems President Clint Culpepper's hacked email-made public referred to Hart as a "whore" for wanting to increase his $3 million salary.)
"I don't feed into any of that stuff, I am a comedian and my job is to make people laugh and I am happy doing it," he said. "As long as it doesn't involve my family and their well-being, it doesn't get a second thought from me."
It turns out Hart isn't too shabby on the dance floor either. In one of the best scenes in "The Wedding Ringer," Hart and Gad (who plays Doug Harris, the groom-to-be) show off their killer dance moves in a hilarious scene where they dance the tango, the "Dougie" and the "Grease" hand-jive, among others.
"We had to learn the steps first and foremost, but they had so much we had to cut some out, we had the salsa in there at one point; we had a take on the waltz," Hart explained. "We had so much, but they winded up putting the montage together and it came out amazingly. I take my hat off to the director (Jeremy Garelick) on that one!"
While the fancy footwork may have surprised some, Hart especially showed 'em who's boss on the dance floor. "My move was the 'Dougie,'" Hart said.
Does Hart usually bust-a-move at weddings?
"No, not at all. I don't even know if what I am doing can be called dancing when I'm at weddings," he joked. "I basically just in the position where I just have a good time. I get to drinking and I set the party off! Pretty much!"
Say what you may, Hart but he isn't just teaching Gad (Harris) how to "Dougie," but he's teaching the Entertainment biz how to "Dougie" all the way to the bank these days!
Hart, 35, also recently got engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Eniko Parrish, 30, who happened to call during the interview with Latin Post, proving that she is very supportive of Hart and his career - and that her ears were ringing during the interview as he discussed their wedding.
"I am excited about it," Hart said of his upcoming nuptials. "I am crazy busy right now, which is why it's going to take some time, but I am looking forward to our day. We're going to have our special day. I'm with the woman that I am going to spend the rest of my life with, I am very lucky I have her. I want to show her that by giving her the best kick-off ever."
So with all the hype surrounding the role of the best man in the film, who will be Hart's best man for his wedding?
His 7-year-old son, Hendrix. "It's going to be really nice," he added.
And his groomsmen?
"Yes I would have to have groomsmen because my son can't be responsible for a bachelor party," he joked.
If they're anything like the crazy groomsmen in "The Wedding Ringer," then he's in for it.
So what are Hart's real-life groomsmen like?
"A bunch of misfits," he joked. Hart's eclectic mix of groomsmen includes friends from Philadelphia, South Carolina and Los Angeles.
"The Wedding Ringer" producer William Packer, who produced four films featuring Hart, among them, "Think Like a Man" and "Ride Along," praised the comedian, whom he expects to stay focused and soar in the film industry. Packer is the first African-American producer to have seven films top box office charts during opening weekend.
"That's my friend first than anything else," Hart said. "It's amazing that I got this guy in my corner. He's help put me in a position to win. It's been a dream come true."
Hart's comedic influences range from Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, Dave Chapelle, Chris Rock (he stars in his comedy, "Top Five") to George Carlin and Jerry Seinfeld.
In "The Wedding Ringer," Doug Harris (Gad) is "a lovable but socially awkward groom-to-be" who is lacking a best man and the fun-filled memories of his youth with the guys.
With less than two weeks to go until he marries the girl of his dreams (Cuoco-Sweeting), Doug is referred to Callahan (Hart), owner and CEO of Best Man, Inc.
While trying to pull of the big con and impress his bride-to-be, "an unexpected budding bromance between Doug and his fake best man Jimmy" makes them reassess their lives and relationships.
Check out the official trailer below for "The Wedding Ringer," which hits theaters on Friday, Jan. 16, 2015.
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