Kevin Hart performed an impression of Marcello Hernández at the New York City premiere of their Netflix film “72 Hours” [1].
The comedic exchange serves as a promotional strategy for the movie, using viral social media moments to build anticipation for the project's release. By trading imitations, the two actors highlight their chemistry and comedic rapport to a global audience.
The interaction began during an appearance on the TODAY show on July 20, 2024 [1]. During that episode, Hernández, a star of "Saturday Night Live," impersonated Hart. The performance was designed to generate buzz as part of the press cycle for their joint venture.
Hart responded to the imitation a few days later at the film's premiere in New York City [1]. He shared his own version of Hernández, turning the promotional event into a live performance of the two comedians mirroring one another.
The film “72 Hours” was scheduled for release on Netflix on July 24, 2024 [2]. The timing of the TODAY show appearance and the subsequent premiere event aligned with the lead-up to the streaming debut.
Both actors used the New York City events to engage with the press and fans. The cycle of impressions, starting in the studio and ending on the red carpet, created a narrative of mutual respect and comedic competition between the veteran Hart and the newer SNL star.
“Kevin Hart performed an impression of Marcello Hernández at the New York City premiere”
This exchange illustrates the modern synergy between traditional press tours and viral content creation. By leveraging a high-profile platform like the TODAY show and following it with a red-carpet payoff, the actors transformed a standard movie premiere into a series of digestible, shareable moments designed to trigger algorithmic discovery on social media platforms before the film's release.
