Kevin Hart calls leaked emails 'ignorant'

Comedian/actor Kevin Hart has taken the high road on disparaging comments made about him in leaked Sony executives' emails, insisting he is able to "brush ignorance off".

Correspondence between Sony executive Clint Culpepper and chairman Amy Pascal, released earlier this week (ends14Dec14) as part of an ongoing hack attack on the studio's database, featured the two executives' thoughts about Hart's obligations to promoting his films.

In the message, Culpepper refers to the Think Like a Man star as a "whore" for wanting extra money to promote his films through social media.

The message reads: "I'm not saying he's a whore, but he's a whore. If he doesn't do his normal routine, his film will not open as well and his brand will appear diminished and he will - in fact - be f**king himself because we have his next 2 immediate films."

Hart has now commented on the email exchange on Instagram.com, writing: "Knowing your self worth is extremely important people... I worked very hard to get where I am today.

"I look at myself as a brand and because of that I will never allow myself to be (taken) advantage of. I own my brand... I make decisions for my brand... I protect my brand... which is why I'm able to brush ignorance off of my shoulder and continue to move forward. I refuse to be broken people... With that being said it's now time for me to get back to building this empire that I've always dreamed of!!!!"

Culpepper's emails are not the only private exchanges leaked during the Sony hack attack - Pascal and producer Scott Rudin have apologized after notes they sent each other about Angelina Jolie and President Barack Obama went public earlier this week.