The prolific comedian and actor created and stars in the new series, alongside Wanda Sykes as his fiery, no-nonsense mom Nancy, that takes a humorous, sincere look at his rough upbringing in North Philadelphia, tackling real-life issues with his signature brash, satirical perspective; now streaming on BET+.
Debuting last week on BET+, is an animated comedy inspired by the early life of comedian and actor Kevin Hart.The show, which was in development at Fox back in 2018, offers a humorous, sincere look at Hart’s childhood in North Philadelphia, blending satire with firsthand experiences to tackle real-life issues and relationships that helped shape him into the hugely successful artist we know today.
Hart voices the titular character, a small but determined 12-year-old boy with big dreams of escaping his rough environment.His wild imagination and unshakable optimism constantly collide with his neighborhood’s harsh realities.At the same time, his no-nonsense, fiercely protective mother Nancy juggles night shifts as an E.R.
nurse while waging a one-woman war to keep Kev on track.Through it all, Lil Kev navigates his rocky upbringing with humor, hustle, and heart, surrounded by the unforgettable characters who will propel him to comedy superstardom.Wanda Sykes, who voices Nancy, describes the character as both intimidating and deeply caring.
“She’s got a lot of levels of anger,” Sykes says, “as well as moments of just genuine care and concern about her son.It’s fun for me trying to find the right voice for the character.” Hart, who also serves as an executive producer on the series, notes that working in animation allows for greater creative freedom.“The fun comes in bringing these characters to life.
It’s very comfortable, it’s time-friendly, and when you’re working with the right creatives, it becomes a well-oiled machine — something you fall in love with.” Given Hart’s background in stand-up and live-action films, some might wonder why he chose animation for this personal story.He explains that animation gives him the flexibility to push boundaries and explore ideas in a way that live-action can’t.“It just made sense,” he shares.
“With animation, you can take stories, exaggerate them, and bring them to life in a way that wouldn’t work as well in a live-action format.And let’s be honest — it also means I can show up to work in sweatpants and a t-shirt, or in my case, no pants at all!” Sykes chimes in with a laugh, adding, “And then you get an email about that!” Both Hart and Sykes discussed what’s different for them working in animation compared to live-action.Each is known for their years performing standup comedy in addition to film and TV work… and animation voiceover roles as well.
Hart emphasized how comedic timing plays a crucial role in voice acting.“With stand-up, we’re in complete control of the timing, the punchlines, and how everything lands.In animation, it’s a different game.
A lot of it is punchline based.There’s a wave… you set it up in the beginning to get to a point in the middle where you then have a big bang of a laugh at the end.The dialogue sets up the punchlines, and when done right, the animators enhance that timing, making it even funnier.” Sykes, however, has a slightly different take, pushing back on the notion that animators carry the comedic weight, stating, “I don’t think the funny falls into the hands of the animator.
It’s on us.If you just listen to without watching, you’ll still laugh because there’s so much funny in there.But when the animation and performance align — that’s when it’s beautiful.” The series boasts a strong supporting cast that adds depth to world.
Deon Cole plays Uncle Richard Jr., an ex-con with a complicated past who lives in the family’s basement.Gerald "Slink" Johnson voices Henry, Kev’s troubled but well-meaning father.Other key roles include Cree Summer as Gerald, Kev’s witty best friend, and Mo Collins as Mrs.
O’Lady, the neighborhood’s last white resident, who often makes wildly inappropriate remarks.Each character plays a role in shaping Kev’s worldview, making the series not just a comedy, but also a story of his perseverance and self-discovery.Hart summarized the essence of by saying, “At its core, this show is about resilience.
No matter what life throws at him, Kev keeps getting back up.That’s who he is, and that’s how I became who I am today.”
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
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