While there are some women who move on from a marriage and drop the surname they acquired when saying “I do,” others choose to hold onto their married names — especially in the entertainment industry. It was done by everyone from Tina Turner to Tracy Edmonds, and it works just fine for actress and comedian Torrei Hart.
She was married to comedic superstar Kevin Hart from 2003 to 2011 and the couple share two children: Heaven and Hendrix. Kevin has since moved on to marry Eniko Hart, whom he shares two kids with (Kenzo and Kaori) after having a less than amicable split with Torrei. As a decade approaches since their marriage officially came to an end, Torrei says she’s been asked by women why she still holds on to the Hart name. In a chat with TooFab, she said, “because it’s mine,” simply.
“One of the questions the ladies ask me is why do you still have the Hart name? And I’m like, because it’s mine, first of all. Second of all, because Kevin ain’t never asked for it back, or he’s not tripping, and third of all, my kids don’t want me to change my name,” she said. “That’s my name! Get over it! I’m going to be a Hart until I decide not to be. That’s just what it is.”
And while some might assume keeping the name is to benefit Torrei, specifically her career, she stated that a surname can only go so far in the industry if you don’t have the talent or put in the work.
“You can have a name but if you’re not doing the work, what good is the name? I do the work,” she said. “I hustle every single day. I could have the Hart name all day but if I’m sitting on my a– and not working, you think people are going to give me opportunity? No. I get opportunity because I go out there, I network, I’ve been training, I put in the word: ‘This project look like it could fit me.’ I hustle.”
Torrei made it clear that she works really hard to make the name a name for herself. But she did joke that she wouldn’t mind some support from Kevin, at least online.
“You know what time it is — plug my projects!” she said. “I’m coming for you, ’cause you ain’t never give me my Tesla!”
For context, in Kevin’s 2020 special, Zero F–ks Given, he used Torrei for some material and stated that he was going to owe her a Tesla for not clearing those jokes with her beforehand. She says he still owes her, but he can make up for it by sharing her work, including her most recent project, Super Turnt.
“Since I’m still part of your life — plug my stuff!” she said to the camera. “America: tell him I said plug my stuff. Y’all go spam his page and tell him: ‘Plug Torrei’s stuff!’”
