Kevin Hart is back with ‘Die Hart 2: Die Harter.’ Catch the show on Roku Channel
The Philly native talks about his show and his hometown.
In Die Hart, Philly’s own Kevin Hart plays a fictionalized version of himself who, tired of being the comedic side-character, looks to become an action hero with the help of John Travolta. The first season premiered on Quibi, which closed up shop after eight months, but thanks to Roku Channel, the show’s second season has a new home.
In the perfectly named Die Hart 2: Die Harter, Hart is joined by John Cena as he aims to film an action film. When Hart is actually kidnapped, though, he has to put his action training to test.
The Philadelphia Inquirer spoke with Hart over Zoom about this new season and more. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
How has being from Philly influenced your creative voice?
Philadelphia is the reason I am who I am. I stand in front of you today, being the individual that has the determination, the wit, the grit, the grind because of the City of Brotherly Love. It’s not an easy city. It’s a hard city. It’s a city that will make or break you. It’s a city that made me. I’m forever grateful and forever loyal to it. A lot of my attempts to do things philanthropically is geared and navigated towards Philadelphia.
Tell us how season two of ‘Die Hart’ differs from the first.
We did such a good job with season one. We just wanted to do more of the same with season two. We got John Cena, Ben Schwartz, Nathalie Emmanuel, and myself. Even though it’s a parody and satire, the comedy is grounded. Making sure that the action was to a high level was a must, too. We have a great director in Eric Appel. A great writer in Tripper Clancy. Me and my team at Hartbeat were at the top of our game. We had a lot of hands on this one. We executed the idea well and people are in for a treat.
What are your Philly must-dos?
The first thing is just stopping in the areas where I grew up in North Philadelphia. Taking a ride through North Philly, seeing how the neighborhood has changed, seeing what’s no longer there. I like to just point out stuff to my kids so they can understand where their dad came from. I’m also always going to go and get a cheesesteak from Max’s. I mean, my picture is on the side of the building for a reason.
It’s about making sure that you really go and enjoy your city. Downtown is a must. Walnut Street. South Street. Tapping into local restaurants. Just making sure that your feet are on the ground. Making sure you’re not just a myth. When I go home, I definitely love to embrace the environment. I pretty much want to be an example of what I feel our city is. Which is good vibes, good energy, and good times.
Season two of “Die Hart” is now available on the Roku Channel.