Lending an ear. Kevin Hart met up with Ellen DeGeneres for lunch after defending the talk show host amid her toxic workplace allegations earlier this month.
The Ride Along star, 41, joined DeGeneres, 62, on the patio at the Rosewood Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica, California, on Saturday, August 15. The pair were both dressed in tropical print button-down shirts and khaki shorts as they chatted while sipping wine.
Hart recently supported the Ellen DeGeneres Show host after her show faced backlash for the treatment of its staff and guests.
“It’s crazy to see my friend go thru what she’s going thru publicly,” the Night School star wrote via Instagram on August 4. “I have known Ellen for years and I can honestly say that she’s one of the dopest people on the f–king planet.”
He added that the Ellen’s Games of Games host has “treated my family and my team with love and respect” throughout their relationship.
“The internet has become a crazy world of negativity….we are falling in love with peoples down fall,” Hart continued. “It’s honestly sad…When did we get here? I stand by the ones that I know and that I love. Looking forward to the future where we get back to loving one another.”
The Pennsylvania native added that his support is “not meant to disregard the feelings of others and their experiences,” but he wanted to speak on his personal experience working with the Daytime Emmy winner.
“This hate s—t has to stop. Hopefully it goes out of style soon,” he wrote.
DeGeneres also publicly stood by Hart’s side in 2019 when he faced his own work scandal. The Upside star came under fire after past homophobic tweets resurfaced as he was preparing to host the Oscars that year. Hart stepped down from the role, but DeGeneres welcomed him on her show and urged him to reconsider hosting.
The Finding Dory star found herself amid her own scandal in July after former employees alleged in a BuzzFeed News article that they faced racism, fear and intimidation while on set. WarnerMedia later launched an internal investigation into the show. BuzzFeed News also published a second report that detailed allegations of sexual misconduct committed by the show’s executive producers — claims they have since denied.
Last month, DeGeneres addressed the controversy in a letter to her staff and explained that she was “disappointed to learn” about the stories from her staffers.
“As someone who was judged and nearly lost everything for just being who I am, I truly understand and have deep compassion for those being looked at differently, or treated unfairly, not equal, or – worse – disregarded,” she wrote in the letter obtained by Us Weekly on July 30. “To think that any one of you felt that way is awful to me.”
Scroll down to see photos of Hart and DeGeneres’ lunch.