Melissa Joan Hart | |
|---|---|
_(cropped_and_rotated).jpg) Hart in September 2017 | |
| Born | Melissa Joan Hart (1976-04-18)April 18, 1976 (age 49) Smithtown, New York, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Sayville High School |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Mother | Paula Hart |
| Relatives | Emily Hart (sister) |
Melissa Joan Hart (born April 18, 1976)[1] is an American actress, director and producer. She had starring roles as the title characters in the sitcomsClarissa Explains It All,Sabrina the Teenage Witch, andMelissa & Joey, and appeared as Liz inNo Good Nick. She has also appeared in the filmsDrive Me Crazy (1999),Nine Dead (2009), andGod's Not Dead 2 (2016).
Hart was born inSmithtown, New York, the first child ofPaula Hart (née Voje), a producer and talent manager, and William Hart, a carpenter,shellfish purveyor,oyster hatchery worker, and entrepreneur.[2][1] Her maternal grandfather, Stanley John Voje, was aNavy veteran andCatholic.[3] Hart grew up inSayville, New York.
Hart's parents had four other children after Melissa: Trisha, Elizabeth, Brian, andEmily, who are all in acting. Her parents divorced in the early 1990s, and she moved with her mother and siblings toNew York City. In 1994, her mother married television executive Leslie Gilliams, who is best known for his appearance onSeason 5 ofMasterChef in 2014, when he finished in 3rd place. Hart has three half-sisters: Alexandra, Samantha, and Mackenzie.[1]
Hart was named after theAllman Brothers song "Melissa", while her middle name, Joan, came from her maternal grandmother.
Hart's career began at age four when she made atelevision commercial for a bathtub doll called Splashy.[1] From then on, she appeared regularly in commercials, making 25 of them before the age of five. Other early television work included a small role in theminiseriesKane & Abel in 1985, aguest-starring role in an episode ofThe Equalizer[4] in 1986, and a starring role alongsideKatherine Helmond in theEmmy Award-winning television filmChristmas Snow,[1] also in 1986. She appeared on the April 22, 1986, episode of theNBC daytime soap operaAnother World. She also auditioned for the lead roleJamie Lloyd inHalloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, losing the role toDanielle Harris.
In 1989, she became an understudy in aBroadway production ofThe Crucible starringMartin Sheen.[5] That same year, she appeared in anoff-Broadway production ofBeside Herself withWilliam Hurt andCalista Flockhart.[6]
In 1991, Hart landed the starring role on theNickelodeon seriesClarissa Explains It All, a comedy about a teenaged girl in everyday situations, which was successful during its four-year run.[7][8] The show brought her four consecutiveYoung Artist Award nominations, winning three.[9] Her role in the series also led to her starring in the FMV video game Nickelodeon's Director's Lab as a tour guide who takes the player around a film studio.[citation needed]
Initially, after first being recognized in public, Hart felt embarrassed to be acting in a children's show while being a teenager. Nevertheless, she was enthusiastic about the role, and "all [she] hoped for that [she] would get to do it for a while."[10]
Hart also recorded two albums as Clarissa:This Is What 'Na Na' Means[11] and a recording ofPeter and the Wolf.[12]
In 1995, a year after the end ofClarissa Explains It All, Hart filmed a pilot episode for a spin-off show featuring a college-aged Clarissa explaining it all about her foray into the professional world as an intern at a newspaper. As its musical theme, the show featured a slow, jazz version of its predecessor's theme song, and also starredRobert Klein as her boss.[13]
Hart appeared on Nickelodeon's anthology showAre You Afraid of the Dark?, in the Season 2 episode "The Tale of the Frozen Ghost" (1993).[14]
After the television series ended, Hart attendedNew York University.[15] However, she dropped out after she earned the title role for the 1996 television filmSabrina the Teenage Witch, which was followed by thetelevision series of the same name, which lasted seven seasons onABC (four seasons) andThe WB (three seasons).[16][17] She later collaborated on ananimated version that featured Hart voicing the two aunts Hilda and Zelda with Hart's younger sister Emily starring in the title role. She also guest-starred on the seriesTouched by an Angel and starred in several television films. She guest starred on theBoy Meets World episode "Witches of Pennbrook" as her character Sabrina Spellman; the episode also guest starred Hart's closest friendCandace Cameron Bure as a witch named Millie.
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In 1998, Hart had a small role in the filmCan't Hardly Wait; shortly afterwards Hart began working on a theatrical film project titledNext to You, in which she acted alongsideAdrian Grenier.[18][19]Britney Spears released aremix of her song "(You Drive Me) Crazy" to promote the film's soundtrack. To capitalize on the song's success as atop-ten hit,[20] the name of the film was changed toDrive Me Crazy. To promote the film, both Hart and Grenier appeared in the song's music video.[21] Around the same time, Spears made a guest appearance as herself onSabrina, in the season four episode "No Place Like Home".[22]
Coinciding with the release ofDrive Me Crazy, Hart appeared wearing lingerie on the cover ofMaxim magazine's October 1999 issue, as well as in a photo shoot and an accompanying article, which resulted in an attempt by the publisher of theSabrina comic book series to sue her for breach of contract.[23][24] Hart continued her acting career, starring in the filmRent Control, which aired in 2005 on theABC Familycable network.[25] Hart also continued to star onSabrina, the Teenage Witch until 2003. Hart was also a primary voice-actress onSabrina: The Animated Series, which ran for 65 episodes in 1999 onABC andUPN.
In 1999, Hart made her directorial debut in an episode ofDisney Channel'sSo Weird called "Snapshot" which guest-starred her sister Emily. Hart directed an episode of Nickelodeon'sTaina in 2001. In 2001 and 2002, she directed six episodes ofSabrina.[citation needed]
AfterSabrina ended in 2003 after seven seasons, Hart directed her first film, a 15-minute live-actionshort film calledMute (2005), starring her sister Emily. In 2007, Hart guest-starred on an episode ofLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit titled "Impulsive" as a teacher accused ofstatutory rape.[26] In late 2007, she directed the "Anger Cage" video for her husbandMark Wilkerson's bandCourse of Nature. She also starred in theABC Family filmHoliday in Handcuffs, oppositeMario Lopez. The film premiered on December 9, 2007, and was the highest rated program in the history of the network, with 6.7 million viewers.[27] Hart followed this with another ABC Family film with a similar premise,My Fake Fiancé, in 2009.
It was announced on August 17, 2009, that she would compete in season nine ofDancing with the Stars.[28] Hart was paired up with two-time reigning champion,Mark Ballas. She was eliminated from the competition in week six out of a possible ten.[29] In 2010, Hart starred as Kelley in the horror thriller filmNine Dead.[30]
In 2010, Hart returned to a new weekly television series, starring withJoey Lawrence in the ABC Family sitcomMelissa & Joey.[1][31][32] In the series Hart plays a woman who hires Lawrence as a nanny to help care for her incarcerated sister's children.[33] In the second season, she occupied the director's chair for an episode, for the first time sinceSabrina.[34]
Hart joined the cast of an off-Broadway production ofLove, Loss, and What I Wore for a four-week run that started in March 2010 and ended April 25, 2010.[35][36]
In March 2010, Hart took part in an ad campaign forGain detergent withSabrina, the Teenage Witch co-star and friendSoleil Moon Frye.[37]
On November 22, 2010, Hart participated as a presenter in theInternational Emmy Awards.[38]
In June 2012,St. Martin's Press announced that it had made a deal with Hart to publish her memoirMelissa Explains It All: Tales from My Abnormally Normal Life in the fall of 2013. In the memoir, Hart wrote about growing up, being a child actor and her rise to fame, her rebellious teen years, and her efforts to balance a career as an adult with motherhood and family life.[39]
In 2013, Hart attempted to usecrowdfunding (viaKickstarter) to fund a romantic comedy film to be titledDarci's Walk of Shame, but was only able to garner $51,605, or just 2.6% of the expected $2 million goal. Ultimately, the idea was scrapped.[40]
Melissa & Joey concluded in August 2015 after 4 seasons and 104 episodes.
In 2016, Hart starred as the lead, Grace Wesley, in the filmGod's Not Dead 2.
In 2018, Hart was cast as Liz in theNetflix comedy seriesNo Good Nick. The series premiered on April 15, 2019.[41] She directed one episode fromThe Goldbergs, "Hail Barry", and theYoung Sheldon episode "Cowboy Aerobics and 473 Grease-Free Bolts".[42] Hart also made her return to Nickelodeon 25 years after the end ofClarissa Explains It All when she joined the voice cast ofThe Casagrandes, a spinoff ofThe Loud House, portraying Becca Chang opposite ofKen Jeong as Stanley Chang.[43]
In 2022, Hart starred in theLifetime filmDirty Little Secret. It is inspired by true events and the bookDirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omolulu.[44]
In January 2022, Hart began hosting apodcast titledWhat Women Binge starring her and her friend Amanda Lee.
In 2023, Hart competed inseason nine ofThe Masked Singer as "Lamp". She was eliminated in "Masked Singer in Space" alongsideAlicia Witt as "Dandelion".[45] Also in 2023, Hart starred in the Lifetime filmWould You Kill for Me? The Mary Bailey Story as Mary Bailey's grandmother Ella.[46]
In 2024, Hart starred in the Lifetime filmThe Bad Guardian, which was based on different accounts of elder abuse.[47]
In 2025, Hart starred in the Lifetime filmKilling the Competition. It is inspired by actual events of overparenting gone wrong, with Hart portraying ahelicopter mother named Elizabeth Fenwick who plots to kidnap the lead dancer and her mother when her daughter gets cut from the school's dance team.[48]
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In May 2009, Hart opened acandy shop called SweetHarts inSherman Oaks, California.[49] Hart commented that it had been her "childhood dream" to own a candy shop.[50] SweetHarts closed in December 2011 due to a lawsuit by a former employee alleging wrongful termination and racial discrimination, as well as other issues. Hart denied all of the employee's claims, and the case was dismissed in 2012.[51] SweetHarts later reopened with new owners before closing permanently in 2015.[52]
In 2015, Hart and her husband started their own fashion line called King of Harts.[53]
On July 19, 2003, Hart married musicianMark Wilkerson, having met him at theKentucky Derby in May 2002.[54] The preparations for the ceremony, which took place inFlorence, Italy, were documented in a television miniseries titledTying the Knot, produced by Hart's production company Hartbreak Films and aired on ABC Family. Hart and Wilkerson have three sons, Mason (born January 2006), Braydon (born March 2008), and Tucker (born September 2012).[55][56][57] They lived inWestport, Connecticut, until 2019, when they moved toLake Tahoe and then in 2020, they moved toNashville.[58][59][60]
Hart and Wilkerson were featured inPeople magazine's April 7, 2008 issue, introducing their second child Braydon.[61] Hart wrote a diary, including video entries, to documentpotty training her son, Mason, forHuggies Pull-Ups brand diapers.[1]
Hart and her family arePresbyterians.[62] In an interview, she stated that they attend church every Sunday and pray every night and before every meal.[63]
Hart was near The Covenant School in Nashville whena mass shooting occurred there in March 2023 and helped escort some of the fleeing children to safety.[64][65] She later recounted the experience onNewsNation and her social media accounts, while noting that she and her children were also in proximity to theSandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012.[64]
Hart has expressed her support for someRepublican candidates, such as voting forBob Dole during the1996 election.[66] On November 5, 2012, the day beforethat year's Election Day, she tweeted that she was endorsingMitt Romney for president.[67][68][69] Hart has expressed support for increasedgun control, marching in aMoms Demand Action demonstration in Brooklyn in May 2016.[70] On August 16, 2016, in the run-up tothat year's presidential election, she donated toLibertarian Party candidateGary Johnson'scampaign.[71] On August 28, 2016, she joined Johnson's campaign as its Connecticut chairperson.[72] On August 21, 2023, she marched with Moms Demand Action in Nashville.
On October 17, 2021, she became the first celebrity to win the $1 million top prize for her charity, Youth Villages, onCelebrity Wheel of Fortune and the fourth overall million-dollar winner onWheel of Fortune.[73]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | ABC Weekend Special | Cindy | Episode: "The Adventures of Con Sawyer and Hucklemary Finn" |
| Kane & Abel | Florentyna Rosnovski (age 7) | Credited as Melissa Hart | |
| 1986 | The Equalizer | Laura Moore | Episode: "Torn" (credited as Melissa Hart) |
| Another World | Roller-Skater | Episode dated April 22 | |
| Christmas Snow | Amy | Television film | |
| 1991–1994 | Clarissa Explains It All | Clarissa Darling | Lead role |
| 1992 | Nick Arcade | Herself | Episode: "Clarissa Explains It All Celebrity Special" |
| 1993 | Are You Afraid of the Dark? | Daphne | Episode: "The Tale of the Frozen Ghost" |
| 1995 | Clarissa | Clarissa Darling | Unsold pilot (also known as Clarissa Now). Shown during Nickelodeon's Big Help-A-Thon. |
| Touched by an Angel | Claire Latham | Episode: "Angels on the Air" | |
| Family Reunion: A Relative Nightmare | Samantha | Television film | |
| 1996 | Weinerville | Herself Subway Passenger | Episodes: "The Weinerville Election Special"[74] "The Weinerville New Years Special: Lost In The Big Apple" |
| Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Sabrina Spellman | Television film; served as the pilot for the TV series | |
| Twisted Desire | Jennifer Stanton | Television film | |
| 1996–2003 | Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Sabrina Spellman | Lead role; also producer, director |
| 1997 | Clueless | Episode: "Mr. Wright" | |
| Boy Meets World | Episode: "The Witches of Pennbrook" | ||
| You Wish | Episode: "Genie Without a Cause" | ||
| Teen Angel | Episode: "One Dog Night" | ||
| The Right Connections | Melanie Cambridge | Television film | |
| Two Came Back | Susan Clarkson | Television film | |
| 1998 | Superman: The Animated Series | Saturn Girl (voice) | Episode: "New Kids in Town"[75] |
| 1997–1998 | Moesha | Haley Dillard | Recurring role, later recast to Dru Mouser |
| 1998 | The Zig and Zag Show[76] | Herself | 1 episode |
| Silencing Mary | Mary Stuartson | Television film | |
| Sabrina Goes to Rome | Sabrina Spellman, Sophia | Television film | |
| 1999 | That '70s Show | Mary | Episode: "Eric Gets Suspended" |
| Sabrina: The Animated Series | Hilda Spellman,Zelda Spellman (voice) | Main role[75] | |
| Love, American Style | Annabelle | Television film | |
| Sabrina Down Under | Sabrina Spellman | Television film | |
| 2000 | Just Shoot Me! | Krissy | Episode: "Fast Times at Finchmont High" |
| 2002 | Rent Control | Holly Washburn | Television film |
| 2003 | The Jamie Kennedy Experiment | Herself | Episode dated March 20 |
| 2004 | North Shore | Episode: "Secret Service" | |
| 2005 | Justice League Unlimited | Delia and Deidre Dennis / Dee Dee (voice) | Episode: "The Once and Future Thing, Part Two: Time, Warped"[75] |
| 2005, 2012 | Robot Chicken | Emily the Spy, Hilda Spellman, Sabrina Spellman (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Dirtbags | Kate | Television film |
| 2007 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Sarah Trent | Episode: "Impulsive" |
| Holiday in Handcuffs | Trudy Chandler | Television film | |
| 2008 | Whispers and Lies AKA Secrets of Pine Cove | Jill Roperson | Television film |
| 2009 | Dancing with the Stars | Herself | Season 9 contestant |
| My Fake Fiancé | Jennifer | Television film | |
| 2010–2015 | Melissa & Joey | Mel Burke | Lead role (104 episodes); also executive producer, director |
| 2010 | When I Was 17[77] | Herself | |
| 2014 | Motor City Masters | Herself/guest judge | Episode: "The Mother of All Design Challenges" |
| 2015 | The Mysteries of Laura | K.C. Moss | Episode: "The Mystery of the Deceased Documentarian" |
| 2016 | Celebrity Family Feud | Herself | Episode: "Melissa Joan Hart vs.Paul Sorvino" |
| Broadcasting Christmas | Emily Morgan | Television film | |
| 2017 | A Very Merry Toy Store | Connie Forester | Television film |
| The Watcher in the Woods | Television film | ||
| 2017–2018 | Pickle and Peanut | Herself | 2 episodes |
| 2018 | Bobcat Goldthwait's Misfits & Monsters | Mom | Episode: "The Goatman Cometh" |
| A Very Nutty Christmas | Kate Holiday | Television film | |
| 2019 | No Good Nick | Liz | Main role[41] |
| The Loud House | Becca Chang (voice) | 3 episodes[75] | |
| The Goldbergs | Elaine | 1 episode | |
| Christmas Reservations | Holly Anderson[78] | Television film | |
| 2019–2022 | The Casagrandes | Becca Chang (voice) | Recurring role[75] |
| 2020 | Dear Christmas | Natalie | Television film |
| 2021 | Hell's Kitchen | Herself | Chef's table guest diner for the red team; Episode: "More Than a Sticky Situation" |
| Celebrity Wheel of Fortune | Episode: "Melissa Joan Hart,Tituss Burgess andLacey Chabert" Won $1,000,000 for Youth Villages | ||
| Mistletoe in Montana | Merry | Television film | |
| 2022 | Dirty Little Secret | Joanna | Television film |
| 2023 | The Masked Singer | Herself/Lamp | Season 9 contestant |
| Would You Kill for Me? The Mary Bailey Story | Ella | Television film | |
| 2024 | The Bad Guardian | Leigh Delgado | Television film |
| 2025 | Killing the Competition | Elizabeth Fenwick | Television film |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Silencing Mary | Mary Stuartson | |
| Can't Hardly Wait | Vicki, Yearbook Girl | Uncredited[79][80] | |
| The Emperor's New Clothes: An All-Star Illustrated Retelling of the Classic Fairy Tale | The Imperial Princess | Voice | |
| 1999 | Drive Me Crazy | Nicole Maris | |
| 2000 | Santa Mouse and the Ratdeer | Molly | Voice |
| The Specials | Sunlight Grrrll | ||
| Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker | Delia & Deidre Dennis / Dee Dee | Voice[75] | |
| 2001 | Backflash | C.J. | Direct-to-video |
| Recess: School's Out | Becky Detweiller | Voice[75] | |
| The Voyage to Atlantis: The Lost Empire | Herself | Short; spinoff ofAtlantis: The Lost Empire | |
| Not Another Teen Movie | Slow Clapper's Instructor/Herself | Uncredited | |
| 2002 | Hold On | Herself | Short film |
| Jesus, Mary and Joey | Jackie | ||
| 2009 | Nine Dead | Kelly Murphy | |
| 2011 | Satin | Lauren Wells | |
| 2014 | Santa Con | Rose DeMarco | |
| 2016 | God's Not Dead 2 | Grace Wesley | |
| 2017 | CarGo | Cabigail | Voice[75] |
| 2025 | A Merry Little Ex-Mas | April | Also producer |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch: Spellbound | Sabrina Spellman | |
| 2001 | Sabrina the Teenage Witch: A Twitch in Time |
| Week# | Dance / Song | Judge's scores | Result | Ref | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | ||||
| 1 | Viennese Waltz / "The Time of My Life" Cha-Cha-Cha Relay / "Centerfold" | 6 Awarded | 6 6 | 6 Points | Safe | |
| 2 | Jive / "Long Tall Sally" | 7 | 6 | 6 | Safe | |
| 3 | Samba / "Turn Me On" | 6 | 6 | 7 | Safe | |
| 4 | Charleston / "Charleston" | 9 | 9 | 10 | Safe | |
| 5 | Argentine Tango / "Tango Barbaro" GroupHustle Dance / "The Hustle" | 8 No | 8 Scores | 7 Given | Safe | |
| 6 | Waltz / "Only One Road" Mambo Marathon / "Ran Kan Kan" | 7 Awarded | 7 4 | 6 Points | Eliminated | |
| Year | Title | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–2003 | Sabrina the Teenage Witch | 9 episodes |
| 2000 | So Weird | Episode: "Snapshot" |
| 2002 | Taina | Episode: "Bad Review" |
| 2005 | Mute | Short |
| 2012–2015 | Melissa & Joey | 6 episodes |
| 2014 | The Santa Con | Television film |
| 2017 | The Watcher in the Woods | |
| 2018–2019 | The Goldbergs | 3 episodes |
| 2020–2022 | Young Sheldon | 5 episodes |
| 2020 | The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia | Episode: "Hasta La Vista, Baby" |
| Schooled | Episode: "Lainey's Mom" | |
| The Big Show Show /Game On!: A Netflix Crossover Event | Episode: "The Big Games" | |
| Feliz NaviDAD | Television film | |
| 2022 | iCarly | 2 episodes |
| Santa Bootcamp | Television film |
| Year | Title | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | "(You Drive Me) Crazy" | Britney Spears | Song was featured onDrive Me Crazy Soundtrack |
| 2008 | "Anger Cage" | Course of Nature | Hart also has co-director credit |
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