Update, September 2, 2:15 p.m.: Kevin Hart underwent back surgery on Sunday and is recovering, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Hart's wife, Eniko, told TMZ outside the hospital that he was doing "great...He's going to be just fine."
This article was originally published on September 2, 2019, 10:55 a.m.
Fellow comedians and actors have rallied around in support of Kevin Hart, who was in a car accident early morning Sunday. Hart reportedly suffered major back injuries during the crash and was later hospitalized. Reps for Hart did not immediately respond to Refinery29’s request for comment.
Hart’s friend Jared Black was driving the comedian’s 1970 Plymouth Barracuda just before 1 a.m. PT when he lost control and the vehicle veered off the road, rolling over into a ditch on Mulholland Highway in Malibu. The car’s roof was crushed upon impact, a spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol told E! News. Police determined that Black was not "under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision.”
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Black and a third passenger, personal trainer Rebecca Broxterman, were trapped in the car for some time, but are both expected to make full recoveries. Hart’s injuries, however, could require back surgery, though doctors are optimistic he will make a full recovery, too. Hart did not suffer “a spinal cord injury,” The Blast reported, noting that he’s “able to walk and move his extremities.”
The vintage Barracuda, nicknamed “Menace,” was Hart’s 40th birthday gift to himself. He showed off the purchase on Instagram in July.
“I added some more muscle to the family for my 40th....welcome home "Menace" #MuscleCarLover,” he wrote.
When news of the wreck spread, celebrities showed their support for Hart online.
Get well soon, brother ??❤️
— terry crews (@terrycrews) September 1, 2019
Kevin Hart Hospitalized After Serious Car Accident | Hollywood Reporter https://t.co/aLtKyjQQUi
“Stop messing with my emotions brother,” frequent collaborator and friend Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson wrote in an Instagram post alongside a photo of the two from the upcoming Jumanji: The Next Level. “We have a lot more laughing to do together. Love you man. Stay strong.”
“Get well soon, brother,” actor Terry Crews, who appeared in Soul Plane as well as BET’s Real Husbands of Hollywood with Hart, tweeted.
“@kevinhart4real we love you and we are praying for you,” Salma Hayek added on Instagram, along with Jamie Foxx who wrote: “@kevinhart4real sending positive vibes and prayers to u and your family... god bless.”