Kevin Hart has taken legal action against his former assistant over a 2023 tell-all interview she gave, arguing that she violated a non-disclosure agreement.
According to TMZ, the Jumanji star is seeking $50,000 after filing suit against Miesha Shakes, who worked for his corporate and management company K. Hart Enterprises from August 2017 through October 2020.
The suit comes three years after Shakes spoke with gossip vlogger Tasha K in a wide-ranging interview that revealed details, some alleged, about Hart’s personal life and marriage to model Eniko Hart.
Hart claims that Shakes defamed him and caused damage to his career, along with alleging that he received a call from an associate of Tasha K requesting $250,000 for the interview not to be posted.
According to a 2024 report by The Blast, Hart agreed to pay Shakes $30,000 per year over three years and cover 36 months of health insurance under the NDA. In return, his ex-assistant consented to not to disclosing private information or use Hart's name without permission The $50,000 Hart is seeking is representative of the penalty the two parties agreed to in advance for any breach.
The interview with Shakes aired on Unwine with Tasha K on December 2023, behind a $12 monthly subscription paywall. In the interview, Shakes alleged that her former boss had a gambling addiction, was a habitual cheater, along with accusatory details about his business practices.
Along with declining the alleged extortion attempt by one of Tasha K’s associates, which Hart reported to police, the entertainer issued cease-and-desist to Tasha K. The interview aired but has since been taken down.
According to InTouch Weekly, Shakes tried to dispute her signing of the NDA with claims that she struggled with "mental health issues" and "financial distress" at the time it was executed.
"Hart was fully aware of my ongoing health issues and critical need for health insurance and funds, as I could not afford health insurance or my prescribed medications," she claimed in court documents.
In his own declaration, Hart explained the stakes that he has to live up to as a public figure, husband and father.
"Working in the entertainment industry, my livelihood depends in part on my reputation and the public's perception of me, particularly in light of the fact that I am involved in a number of family-oriented projects," he wrote.
