Hart to Heart
Hart to Heart is an American talk show hosted by comedian and actor Kevin Hart, in which he engages in candid, unfiltered conversations with A-list celebrities, athletes, and public figures over glasses of wine to explore their personal lives, career journeys, and challenges.[1] The series premiered on Peacock on August 5, 2021, with weekly one-hour episodes, and its first season concluded on August 26, 2021.[2] Filmed at LA Castle Studios in Burbank, California, Hart to Heart emphasizes open dialogue and meaningful exchanges, allowing guests to reveal unexpected aspects of their true selves and providing viewers insight into the human side of fame.[1] As of November 2025, the series has four seasons, with Season 4 premiering on June 20, 2024, and concluding on July 25, 2024, featuring high-profile guests such as actors, musicians, and influencers in discussions on topics ranging from family and loss to success and resilience.[1][3][4]Overview
Premise and format
Hart to Heart is an American talk show hosted by comedian Kevin Hart, featuring in-depth, unfiltered conversations with A-list celebrities conducted over glasses of wine.[5][6] The series emphasizes personal journeys, aspirations, challenges faced, and behind-the-scenes stories from the guests' lives, blending vulnerability with humor in an intimate setting.[7][8] Each episode is structured as a single extended interview lasting approximately 40 minutes with one primary guest, allowing for unhurried exploration of topics in a relaxed atmosphere.[9] A distinctive element is the integration of wine tastings led by sommelier DLynn Proctor, who selects and pours vintages to complement and enhance the discussions, helping to foster openness.[10][11] The show premiered on August 5, 2021, as an original series on Peacock, produced by Hart's LOL Studios to create a virtual wine cellar environment for these candid exchanges.[2][12]Broadcast and release
Hart to Heart is an exclusive Peacock original series, streaming solely on the platform as part of its subscription service, with no home media releases or international broadcast deals announced as of November 2025.[1][3] The show follows a weekly release pattern, dropping episodes in batches on Thursdays to build anticipation for the unscripted celebrity interviews.[2] Season 1 premiered on August 5, 2021, with the first three episodes available immediately, followed by additional batches weekly through August 26, comprising a total of 11 episodes.[2][13] Season 2 launched on July 14, 2022, again starting with an initial batch and releasing the remaining episodes weekly until August 11, for another 11-episode run.[14][15] The third season debuted on July 6, 2023, with episodes dropping weekly in batches until the finale on August 3, totaling 10 episodes.[16][17] Season 4 began on June 20, 2024, releasing one episode per week through July 25, consisting of 6 episodes.[18][19] All seasons remain accessible exclusively via Peacock Premium or Premium Plus subscriptions, ensuring viewers in the U.S. can stream the full catalog without additional distribution channels.[1]Production
Development
Hart to Heart was created by Kevin Hart through his production company LOL Studios and announced on July 14, 2021, as an exclusive series for the streaming service Peacock, aimed at highlighting Hart's interviewing abilities following his established career in stand-up comedy and film.[2] The show emerged from Hart's vision to foster genuine, unscripted conversations with celebrities, drawing on his comedic roots to create relaxed and revealing dialogues.[5] The executive producers for the series include Kevin Hart, Jeff Clanagan, Candice Wilson Cherry, Thai Randolph, and Todd Yasui.[2] This team oversaw the development of the format, which incorporates elements like sharing wine to promote openness among guests.[1] Peacock renewed Hart to Heart for a second season in June 2022, following the success of the first season's premiere.[20] A third season was greenlit and announced on June 22, 2023.[21] The fourth season, shortened to six episodes, premiered on June 20, 2024, and as of November 2025, no fifth season has been announced.[22][23]Filming and crew
The series is directed by Leslie Small, who helmed all episodes across its seasons, to capture intimate, unscripted dialogues that mimic casual dinner conversations between friends. This setup allows for fluid, natural interactions, prioritizing authenticity in the host-guest dynamic. Small's direction draws from his prior collaborations with Kevin Hart on comedy specials, adapting a conversational intimacy suited to the show's talk format.[24][25] Filming takes place primarily at LA Castle Studios in Burbank, California, a Los Angeles-area facility chosen for its controlled environment conducive to the show's relaxed vibe. The consistent set design features a central dining table surrounded by wine service elements, including bottle shelves evoking a cellar ambiance, and minimalistic decor that avoids distractions to encourage open, flowing interviews. This staging reinforces the premise of shared meals and drinks, with lighting and framing focused on close-up reactions to heighten emotional candor.[26][27] Among the key crew, sommelier DLynn Proctor stands out for curating wine selections that complement each episode's guests, often drawing from his expertise in pairings to add a personalized touch to the dinner segments. Production is managed by LOL Studios, Hart's company, which places heavy emphasis on post-production editing to sharpen comedic timing, insert humorous cutaways, and maintain narrative pacing without altering the raw conversational core. Executive producers, including Hart himself, provide oversight to ensure episode flow aligns with the unfiltered ethos. Early seasons navigated logistical hurdles like aligning celebrity availability amid packed schedules and implementing COVID-19 protocols, such as testing and distancing on set.[28][29][2]Cast and guests
Host
Kevin Hart serves as the sole host of Hart to Heart across all 38 episodes, maintaining this role without co-hosts or changes throughout the series' run.[30] Drawing on his background as a stand-up comedian and actor, Hart employs his signature wit to pose humorous yet probing questions about guests' personal and professional journeys, creating an atmosphere of unfiltered honesty over shared glasses of wine.[1][27] In line with the show's unscripted format, Hart forgoes formal notes or predetermined topics, allowing conversations to flow naturally while tailoring discussions to guests through his innate curiosity and personal insights.[31][32] Hart's unique contributions include infusing episodes with self-deprecating humor and moments of vulnerability, often sharing his own career challenges from comedy and film to build rapport and encourage guests to open up about theirs.[32][33] The series was enabled by Hart's production company, LOL Studios, which handled its development as a Peacock original.[29]Recurring guests and format
The guest pool for Hart to Heart primarily consists of A-list actors, musicians, comedians, and athletes, often drawn from Kevin Hart's professional network to foster crossover appeal, such as inviting peers like Will Smith and Jay-Z for candid discussions on shared industry experiences.[34][1] Across four seasons, the show featured 38 unique primary guests, showcasing a diversity that blends established stars like Cameron Diaz and Dwayne Johnson with rising talents such as Issa Rae and Simu Liu, ensuring a broad representation of entertainment figures without repetition.[34] Recurring themes in the interviews revolve around overcoming personal and professional adversity, navigating Hollywood's intense pressures, and maintaining work-life balance, as guests reflect on their journeys to stardom and the obstacles encountered along the way. There are no true recurring guests, though the format occasionally teases potential follow-ups in later seasons to build ongoing narrative threads. Hart's hosting approach emphasizes building rapport through relaxed, unfiltered dialogue, allowing guests to share vulnerably over wine.[7][35] The core format remains a one-on-one conversational structure, with each episode dedicated to a single extended interview lasting approximately 43 minutes, focused on in-depth personal revelations rather than scripted segments. While the fundamental setup has stayed consistent since the premiere, later seasons introduced minor enhancements like occasional career montages to visually underscore guest stories, though the emphasis on authentic, topic-off-limits exchanges persists unchanged.[7][1][27]Episodes
Season 1 (2021)
The first season of Hart to Heart, a Peacock original series, premiered on August 5, 2021, and consisted of 11 episodes that established the show's signature intimate tone through candid discussions on personal and professional resilience in the post-2020 pandemic era. Guests shared vulnerabilities shaped by career transitions and industry challenges, setting a foundational arc for the series' focus on authentic storytelling amid recovery from global disruptions. The season's success, evidenced by its quick renewal announcement in June 2022 ahead of Season 2's July premiere, underscored its appeal as a launch vehicle for Peacock's unscripted content.[36] The episodes featured high-profile guests from music, film, television, and comedy, with conversations emphasizing launch-specific themes like overcoming early career hurdles and adapting to personal reinvention. Below is a list of the season's episodes, including air dates and key discussion highlights:| Episode | Guest | Air Date | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miley Cyrus | August 5, 2021 | Cyrus reflects on vulnerabilities in her music career, tracing her evolution from child star Hannah Montana to an independent artist navigating public scrutiny and artistic growth.[37] |
| 2 | Don Cheadle | August 5, 2021 | Cheadle discusses acting challenges, including his early theater and jazz influences, and the perseverance required to build a versatile career in film and television.[38] |
| 3 | Kelly Clarkson | August 5, 2021 | Clarkson explores personal reinvention, detailing her journey from American Idol winner to multifaceted entertainer amid personal and professional struggles.[39] |
| 4 | Cameron Diaz | August 12, 2021 | Diaz opens up about her retirement from acting, focusing on life transitions into motherhood and entrepreneurship in winemaking.[40] |
| 5 | Taraji P. Henson | August 12, 2021 | Henson addresses industry biases faced as a Black woman and single mother pursuing Hollywood success, highlighting resilience against systemic obstacles.[40] |
| 6 | Jimmy Kimmel | August 12, 2021 | Kimmel shares the pressures of late-night television, recounting his path from radio to hosting and the emotional toll of sustaining a high-stakes career.[40] |
| 7 | Nick Cannon | August 19, 2021 | Cannon reflects on transitioning from music and stand-up comedy to television production and family life, emphasizing work-life balance in entertainment.[41] |
| 8 | Bryan Cranston | August 19, 2021 | Cranston delves into fatherhood and generational relationships, connecting personal experiences to his breakthrough roles in comedy and drama.[41] |
| 9 | John Travolta | August 19, 2021 | Travolta discusses career longevity, overcoming major setbacks like the Saturday Night Fever era pressures and maintaining relevance in Hollywood.[41] |
| 10 | Ice Cube | August 26, 2021 | Ice Cube highlights his versatility across rap, acting, and activism, including his efforts to promote Black comedians in film and comedy breakthroughs.[42] |
| 11 | Jay Leno | August 26, 2021 | Leno examines longevity in late-night comedy, sharing insights on the business of humor, personal passions like cars, and sustaining a decades-long career.[43] |
Season 2 (2022)
The second season of Hart to Heart premiered on July 14, 2022, on Peacock, building on the momentum from the first season's renewal and featuring 11 one-hour episodes released weekly. This season expanded guest diversity across comedy, music, film, sports, and business, fostering deeper personal revelations as guests opened up about vulnerabilities, career transitions, and life lessons in unfiltered conversations with host Kevin Hart. The discussions often delved into post-pandemic relevant themes, including mental health struggles and entrepreneurial ambitions, allowing for more introspective exchanges as the series gained broader traction. A notable development was the heightened emphasis on business ventures, exemplified in Jay-Z's episode where he detailed strategies transforming his path from street hustler to global brand builder, including insights on how financial success can strain family ties. Mental health emerged as a recurring focus, particularly in Saweetie’s appearance, where she addressed fame's pressures, personal well-being, and her pivot toward building a media empire beyond music. These topics reflected evolving cultural conversations around resilience and self-care following the COVID-19 era. The season's episodes highlighted maturing dialogues on success and personal growth, contrasting with Season 1's emphasis on foundational survival narratives. Below is the episode list:| Episode | Guest | Air Date | Key Discussion Themes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pete Davidson | July 14, 2022 | Navigating media scrutiny and personal growth amid public life challenges.[44] |
| 2 | Jay-Z | July 21, 2022 | Entrepreneurship, family dynamics, and life lessons from overcoming adversity.[45][46] |
| 3 | Chris Rock | July 28, 2022 | Mutual admiration in comedy, influences from actors and directors, and career reflections.[47] |
| 4 | Mark Wahlberg | August 4, 2022 | Hollywood transitions and balancing acting with personal endeavors.[48] |
| 5 | Tracee Ellis Ross | August 11, 2022 | Evolution as a comedic actress, family legacy, and the renaissance of Black television.[15][49] |
| 6 | Mike Tyson | August 18, 2022 | Reflections on boxing career highs, personal redemption, and life beyond the ring.[48] |
| 7 | Saweetie | August 25, 2022 | Mental health in the spotlight, fame's toll, and expanding into business ventures.[50][48] |
| 8 | Tyler Perry | September 1, 2022 | Media empire building, creative inspirations, and overcoming industry barriers.[48] |
| 9 | John C. Reilly | September 8, 2022 | Comedy roots, character acting journeys, and collaborative Hollywood experiences.[48] |
| 10 | Will Ferrell | September 15, 2022 | Improv comedy evolution, film successes, and maintaining authenticity in stardom.[48] |
| 11 | Gisele Bündchen | September 22, 2022 | Modeling career pressures, family priorities, and transitioning to new life phases.[48] |
Season 3 (2023)
The third season of Hart to Heart premiered on Peacock on July 6, 2023, and consisted of 10 episodes released over several weeks. This installment highlighted high-profile guests from film, music, sports, and business, with conversations often delving into themes of professional longevity, personal evolution, and guidance for emerging talents, as guests shared reflections on their influential careers and the advice they impart to the next generation.[16][51] The season retained the core format of intimate, unfiltered discussions in host Kevin Hart's wine cellar, where a consistent element of wine pairings encouraged candid exchanges on triumphs and setbacks. Notable for its star power, the lineup generated significant anticipation, blending entertainment icons with industry moguls to explore enduring impacts in their fields.[52][53] The episodes featured the following guests, with paired discussions focusing on career trajectories and mentorship insights:| Episode | Guest | Air Date | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sofía Vergara | July 6, 2023 | Reflections on her immigration from Colombia, breakthrough in Modern Family, and empowering Latinx representation in Hollywood.[51][54] |
| 2 | John Cena | July 6, 2023 | Transition from WWE wrestling dominance to acting roles in films like The Suicide Squad, emphasizing discipline and reinvention.[51][54] |
| 3 | Dr. Dre | July 13, 2023 | Evolution from pioneering hip-hop production with N.W.A. to building empires like Beats by Dre, including mentorship of artists like Kendrick Lamar.[51][16] |
| 4 | Will Ferrell | July 13, 2023 | Journey through improv comedy roots to iconic films like Anchorman, discussing sustaining humor and influencing comedic legacies.[51][54] |
| 5 | Issa Rae | July 20, 2023 | Rise from web series Awkward Black Girl to HBO's Insecure and producing ventures, with Hart offering creative advice on navigating industry barriers.[51][55] |
| 6 | Mark Cuban | July 20, 2023 | From Shark Tank investments to owning the Dallas Mavericks, sharing entrepreneurial lessons and long-term business mentorship.[51][54] |
| 7 | Bill Maher | July 27, 2023 | Career spanning stand-up to hosting Real Time, exploring political satire's role and advice on maintaining relevance in media.[51][16] |
| 8 | J. Cole | July 27, 2023 | Music path from mixtapes to Grammy-nominated albums, reflecting on lyrical depth and guiding young rappers in the industry.[51][54] |
| 9 | Dwayne Johnson | August 3, 2023 | Metamorphosis from wrestling superstar to global box-office leader in films like Jumanji, stressing work ethic and mentoring actors.[56][57] |
| 10 | Will Smith | August 3, 2023 | Pursuit of happiness from Fresh Prince to Oscar-winning King Richard, contemplating turning 50 and roles' lasting influence on peers.[58][59] |
Season 4 (2024)
Season 4 of Hart to Heart premiered on June 20, 2024, exclusively on Peacock, consisting of six episodes that continued the show's intimate format of unfiltered conversations over wine. Hosted by Kevin Hart, the season spotlighted a mix of established stars reflecting on their professional evolutions and upcoming goals, amid the industry's recovery from the 2023 writers' and actors' strikes. Guests delved into personal hurdles, creative passions, and visions for future projects, maintaining the series' blend of humor and vulnerability.[18][3] The season's episodes aired weekly through July 25, 2024, each running approximately 50 minutes and exploring themes of resilience and innovation in entertainment. While previous seasons averaged similar runtimes, this installment leaned into forward-looking dialogues, with Hart probing guests on post-pandemic career shifts and long-term aspirations. The diverse lineup highlighted evolving representation, from Hollywood heavyweights to comedy trailblazers. As of November 2025, no official conclusion to the series has been announced.[60]| Episode | Guest | Air Date | Key Discussion Themes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ben Affleck | June 20, 2024 | Affleck opened up about his directing ambitions, regrets in Hollywood, and his "resting hard face" persona, sharing exclusive insights from two decades in the industry after winning an Academy Award for Argo.[61][62] |
| 2 | George Lopez | June 27, 2024 | Lopez traced his path from stand-up comedy to television stardom, emphasizing Latino representation and breakthroughs in mainstream media, including candid stories like borrowing from comedy legends.[60][63] |
| 3 | Cynthia Erivo | July 4, 2024 | Fresh from filming Wicked, Erivo discussed her ascent to leading roles in film and theater, touching on challenges as a Black actress and her excitement for Broadway's influence on her career.[60][64] |
| 4 | Andy Samberg | July 11, 2024 | Samberg addressed comedy fatigue, revealing how sleep deprivation led to his exit from Saturday Night Live after seven seasons, while reflecting on transitions to Brooklyn Nine-Nine and future creative outlets.[65][66] |
| 5 | Judd Apatow | July 18, 2024 | Apatow shared his non-competitive approach to comedy, crediting collaborations—including with wife Leslie Mann—as key to his success in writing and directing, and discussed ongoing projects in film and TV.[67][68] |
| 6 | Niecy Nash-Betts | July 25, 2024 | Nash-Betts recounted her shift from comedic roles to dramatic acclaim, including Emmy wins for Dahmer, and explored future roles blending humor with depth, drawing from early audition battles.[69][70] |