Kevin Hart Makes Bigger Leap Into Drama With Netflix Thriller ‘True Story’: ‘I Know I Can Do It Well’

Kevin Hart is tipping his toe into drama again with a starring role in the new Netflix thriller “True Story.”

The funnyman says his foray into less comedic territory is no joke.

“I was so excited about doing this because I know I got it,” Hart said ahead of Wednesday’s release of “True Story.” “I know the world of drama is there for me if I want to take it. If I want to go and do it, I know I can do it well, and I think the baby steps that I’ve taken with ‘Upside’ [and] ‘Fatherhood,’ it was about just slow walking my audience into going, ‘Oh, my God, like Kevin can act. It’s not just being funny. We know in the world of comedy and action and comedy and adventure, he can act. He does that very well. But oh, my god, he can do this, too.’”

In the limited series, Hart plays a world-famous comedian who finds himself entangled in a world of murderous gangsters after he agrees to meet up with his estranged brother during a comedy tour stop in the siblings’ native Philadelphia.

“I’m taking you up another notch,” Hart says. “This is another notch that I’m giving you as to what I feel I’m capable of and what I can bring to the table.”

Writer and executive producer Eric Newman is hopeful that Hart’s comedy fans will go along for the ride. “People are going to tune in and think, ‘I want my funny Kevin Hart,’ and the moment it’s not that, we got to hook people in and hope they stick around and I think they will because he’s so compelling and so good.”