'Thankfully he was strapped in nicely to his car seat.'
Dwayne Johnson's BFF is recovering after a scary car accident.
In the premiere episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show on Monday, the 47-year-old actor stopped by to give an update on Kevin Hart following his car crash earlier this month. Hart was initially supposed to be Clarkson's first guest on her talk show, but Johnson agreed to step in for his pal -- even leaving his honeymoon with Lauren Hashian to take his place -- after Hart reportedly fractured his spine in three places.
"Everything is good. I spoke with Kevin. I actually refer to him as my son," Johnson said. "I connected with him today. And you know what? These things happen in life."
Johnson continued by teasing his much-shorter friend, quipping that "thankfully he was strapped in nicely to his car seat" and sharing that the "pediatrician" gave a good report, before switching to a serious note.
"Only kidding. He's doing very well. He's bummed he couldn't be here, as you know. But look, I love the guy. He's one of my best friends. And honestly, thank God. It could've been a lot worse," Johnson said. "So he's a lucky man and I'm so happy [he's OK]. And he knows it too. I wish him the best and a speedy recovery and I'm gonna see him soon."
Over the weekend, Hart's other close friend, Tiffany Haddish, gave ET an update on her pal.
"He's OK. He's doing fine. As far as I know, from the last I heard, he's fine," Haddish said. "He's already walking. He's good."
Earlier this week, a source told ET that Hart remains hospitalized following the crash in which he was a passenger, though he is doing well as he heals. The source also noted that Hart is walking, but not a lot.
An earlier source told ET that Hart "has a long road of recovery ahead," while a second source said that he's been "heavily sedated" since undergoing surgery.
"Kevin's spinal injuries are very serious, he sustained several fractures and had no choice but to have surgery as soon as possible," the source said. "Since the surgery, he has been heavily sedated. The physicians are doing everything they can to keep him out of pain."
Watch the video below for more on Hart.
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