CONTROVERSIA
Portrait of Kevin Hart

Photo: Eva Rinaldi · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Born in United States · Nationality American — Comedy / cinema / media / business

Kevin Hart

Film, television and entertainment

Documented profile covering 7 controversies, including “2009–2011: Old homophobic tweets and stand-up routines” and “2018–2019: Withdraws from hosting Oscars after initially refusing to apologise”.

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Profile No. 1487 · Updated on 12 October 2026

Portrait of Kevin Hart

Photo: Eva Rinaldi · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
7Documented controversies
12Sources
0Formal charge · all time
0Conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

01

2023-2026

2023–2026: Hart lawsuits against Tasha K and former assistant Miesha Shakes after accusatory interview

Civil / administrative proceedings

Hart sues YouTuber Tasha K and his former assistant Miesha Shakes after an interview containing allegations of repeated infidelity, an extramarital pregnancy and a gambling problem. Hart also maintains that an intermediary demanded $250,000 to prevent publication.

State of the evidence
Settlement
Attribution
Protagonist is the complainant

Sources · 3

  1. [1]
    Los Angeles TimesKevin Hart sues former assistant and Tasha K for defamationMediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    Courthouse News ServiceKevin Hart can pursue defamation claim against YouTube personality Tasha KMediaHigh reliability
  3. [3]
    TMZKevin Hart: My Ex-Assistant Owes Me $50K For Running Her Mouth!!!MediaMedium reliability

Last verified: 12 September 2026

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02

2024-2026

2024–2026: J.T. Jackson sues Hart for $12 million over alleged breach of settlement, defamation and malicious prosecution

Civil / administrative proceedings

J.T. Jackson brings a new civil action against Hart and Hartbeat, alleging that Hart failed to honour the 2021 agreement intended to clear his name. The complaint includes breach of contract, fraud, emotional distress, malicious prosecution and defamation.

State of the evidence
Allegations
Attribution
Accused

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Los Angeles Superior Court ruling mirrorJudge Daniel S. Murphy, Case Number: 24STCV17056, Date: 2024-10-23 Tentative RulingCourt decisionHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    Los Angeles TimesKevin Hart sued by an ex-friend for allegedly botching a deal to clear that man’s nameMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 12 September 2026

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03

2018-2021

2018–2021: Case against former friend J.T. Jackson, charges dropped then agreement to clear his name

Case dismissed / dropped — against J.T. Jackson

Protagonist not prosecuted — these proceedings are not counted in their formal charges or convictions.

Jonathan 'J.T.' Jackson, Hart's former friend, is arrested and prosecuted over an alleged extortion attempt connected to the sex tape. The charges are ultimately dropped. Jackson maintains that his reputation was destroyed by the proceedings and by how Hart continued discussing the affair.

Person targeted by the proceedings
J.T. Jackson
Role of the person profiled
Protagonist not prosecuted

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Los Angeles TimesKevin Hart sued by an ex-friend for allegedly botching a deal to clear that man’s nameMediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    The Washington PostKevin Hart sued by former friend over sex tape scandal apologyMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 12 September 2026

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04

2019-2020

2019–2020: Montia Sabbag's $60 million sex tape lawsuit dismissed by federal court without prejudice

Civil / administrative proceedings

Montia Sabbag, the woman appearing with Hart in the 2017 video, seeks $60 million, alleging among other things that she was filmed without her knowledge and that Hart and others participated in arranging or distributing the recording.

Attribution
Accused

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    U.S. District Court docket via JustiaMontia Sabbag v. Kevin Hart et alCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    The Philadelphia Inquirer$60 million lawsuit against Kevin Hart, filed over 2017 sex tape, dismissed by judgeMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 12 September 2026

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05

2018-2019

2018–2019: Withdraws from hosting Oscars after initially refusing to apologise

No legal proceedings

After Hart is announced as host of the 2019 Oscars, his old homophobic remarks resurface. Hart initially says he refuses to issue another apology requested by the Academy, then withdraws from the ceremony.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Personally implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Reuters via Investing.com'I'm over it': Comedian Kevin Hart rules out hosting the OscarsMediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    The Washington PostKevin Hart out as Oscars host over old homophobic tweets, he says in Instagram videoMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 12 September 2026

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06

2017

2017: Infidelity, sex video recorded without his knowledge and attempted monetisation

Investigation — against a third party

Protagonist not prosecuted — these proceedings are not counted in their formal charges or convictions.

Hart publicly acknowledges a serious error of judgement following an extramarital relationship in Las Vegas while his wife was pregnant. A video of the encounter is subsequently used in what he describes as an attempt to extort money from him.

State of the evidence
Admitted by the person
Role of the person profiled
Protagonist not prosecuted

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    The Washington PostKevin Hart’s alleged cheating and extortion scandal, explainedMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 12 September 2026

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07

2009-2011

2009–2011: Old homophobic tweets and stand-up routines

No legal proceedings

Several old Kevin Hart tweets and stand-up passages contain insults or jokes targeting gay people, including a 2011 tweet about how he would react to a son playing with a doll's house.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Personally implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    The Washington PostKevin Hart out as Oscars host over old homophobic tweets, he says in Instagram videoMediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    Al JazeeraActor Kevin Hart withdraws as Oscars host after homophobic tweetsMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 12 September 2026

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II. Constellation of documented links

  • Linked profile (portrait or initials) — click to open it
  • Line width: number of documented references
  • Hover over or tap a line: controversies and sources

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

List of documented links (1)
  1. Ellen DeGeneres1 documented reference

III. Has something changed?

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