WASHINGTON (AP) — Kevin Hart rose from the open mics and comedy clubs of his native Philadelphia to become one of his country’s most recognizable performers.

Now Hart has received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, accepting the award Sunday night at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.

Hart has honed a signature style that combines his diminutive height, expressive face and motor-mouth delivery into a successful stand-up act.

His films have grossed more than $4.23 billion globally.

The Mark Twain Prize annually honors performers who have made a lasting impact on humor and culture.