Melissa Joan Hart Biography

Melissa Joan Hart (born April 18, 1976) is an American actress, director, producer, singer, fashion designer, and businesswoman. She is known for her title roles in the sitcoms Clarissa Explains It All (1991-1994), Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996-2003), and Melissa & Joey (2010-2015).

Hart has been married to musician Mark Wilkerson since July 19, 2003; together, they have three children, all boys.

Early life

Hart was born in Smithtown, New York, the first child of Paula, a producer and talent manager, and William Hart, a carpenter, shellfish purveyor, clam hatchery worker, and entrepreneur. Her maternal grandfather, Stanley John Voje, was a Navy veteran and Catholic. Hart grew up in Sayville, New York.

Melissa Joan Hart's parents had four other children after Melissa: Trisha, Elizabeth, Brian, and Emily, who are all in acting. Her parents were divorced in the early 1990s, and she moved with her mother and siblings to New York City. In 1994, her mother married television executive Leslie Gilliams. Hart has three half-sisters: Alexandra, Samantha, and Mackenzie.

Hart was named after the Allman Brothers song "Melissa", while her middle name, Joan, came from her maternal grandmother. She chose Catherine as her confirmation name when she was in the eighth grade, but does not use it professionally.

Career

Early career

Hart's career began at age four when she made a television commercial for a bathtub doll called Splashy. 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 the miniseries Kane & Abel in 1985, a guest-starring role in an episode of The Equalizer in 1986, and a starring role alongside Katherine Helmond in the Emmy Award-winning TV movie Christmas Snow, also in 1986. She made a cameo guest appearance on the April 22, 1986 episode of the NBC daytime soap opera Another World. She also auditioned for the lead role Jamie Lloyd in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, losing the role to Danielle Harris.

In 1989, she became an understudy in a Broadway production of The Crucible starring Martin Sheen.

1991-94: Clarissa Explains It All

In 1991 Hart landed the starring role on the Nickelodeon series Clarissa Explains It All, a comedy about a teen girl in everyday situations, which was successful during its four-year run. The show brought her four consecutive Young Artist Award nominations, winning three. 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 movie studio.

Initially, after first being recognized on the streets, Hart felt embarrassed to perform on 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."

Hart also recorded two albums as Clarissa, This Is What 'Na Na' Means and a recording of Peter and the Wolf.

In 1995, a year after the end of Clarissa 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 starred Robert Klein as her boss.

Hart appeared on Nickelodeon's anthology show Are You Afraid of the Dark? Season 2 episode "The Tale of the Frozen Ghost" in 1991.

1996-2003: Sabrina the Teenage Witch

After the television series ended, Hart attended New York University. However, she did not complete her degree, because she earned the title role for the 1996 TV movie Sabrina the Teenage Witch, which was followed by the television series of the same name which lasted seven seasons on ABC and The WB. She later collaborated on an animated version that featured Hart voicing the two aunts Hilda and Zelda, and Hart's younger sister Emily Hart starring in the title role. In between times, she also guest-starred on the series Touched by an Angel and starred in several TV movies.

In 1998, Hart had a small role in film Can't Hardly Wait, shortly afterwards Hart began working on a theatrical film project titled Next to You, in which she acted alongside Adrian Grenier. Hart asked her then-friend Britney Spears to do a remix of her song "(You Drive Me) Crazy" for the movie's soundtrack. This remix, the Stop Remix was released as a single. To capitalize off its success as a top-ten hit, the name of the movie was changed to Drive Me Crazy. To promote the film, both Hart and Grenier appeared in the song's music video. Around the same time, Spears made a guest appearance as herself on Sabrina, in the season four episode "No Place Like Home".

Coinciding around the time of the release of Drive Me Crazy, Hart appeared wearing lingerie on the cover of Maxim magazine's October 1999 issue, as well as in a series of photographs and an accompanying article. Hart maintained her acting career in the 2000s, starring in the film Rent Control, which aired in 2005 on the ABC Family cable network. Hart also continued to star on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch until 2003. In addition, Hart was also a primary voice-actress on Sabrina: The Animated Series which ran 65 episodes from 1999 through 2000 on ABC and UPN. The series produced by Hart's production company Hartbreak Films as well as Archie Comics, Savage Studios, and DIC Entertainment. In addition, Hart's younger sister Emily Hart was the series lead voice-actress.

In 1999, Hart made her directorial debut in an episode of Disney Channel's So Weird called "Snapshot" which guest-starred her sister Emily. Hart directed an episode of Nickelodeon's Taina in 2001. In 2001 and 2002, she directed six episodes of Sabrina.

2004-10: Post-Sabrina

After the end of Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, Hart directed her first movie, a 15-minute live-action short film called Mute (2005), starring her sister Emily. Hart guest-starred on an episode of Law & Order: SVU that aired on October 9, 2007 titled "Impulsive" as a teacher accused of statutory rape. In late 2007, she directed the "Anger Cage" video for her husband Mark Wilkerson's band Course of Nature. She also starred in the ABC Family Original Movie Holiday in Handcuffs, opposite Mario Lopez. The movie premiered on December 9, 2007, and was the highest rated program in the history of the network, with 6.7 million viewers. Hart followed this with another ABC movie with a similar premise, My Fake Fianc, in 2009.

It was announced on August 17, 2009 that she would compete in season nine of Dancing with the Stars. 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. Then in 2010, Hart starred as Kelley in a horror thriller film entitled Nine Dead.

2010-16: Melissa & Joey

In 2010, Hart returned to a new weekly television series, starring with Joey Lawrence in the sitcom Melissa & Joey. In the series Hart plays a woman who hires Lawrence as a nanny to help care for her incarcerated sister's children. In the second season, she occupied the director's chair for an episode, for the first time since Sabrina.

Hart joined the cast of an off-Broadway production of Love, Loss, and What I Wore for a four-week run that started in March 2010 and ended April 25, 2010.

In March 2010, Hart took part in an ad campaign for Gain detergent with Sabrina, the Teenage Witch co-star and friend Soleil Moon Frye.

On November 22, 2010, Hart participated as a presenter in the International Emmy Awards.

In June 2012, St. Martin's Press announced that it had made a deal with Hart to publish her memoir Melissa 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.

In 2013, Hart attempted to use crowdfunding (via Kickstarter) to fund a romantic comedy movie to be entitled Darci's Walk of Shame, but was only able to garner US$51,605, or just 2.6% of the expected US$2 million goal. Ultimately, the idea was scrapped.

Melissa & Joey concluded in August 2015 after 4 seasons and 104 episodes.

In 2016, Hart starred as the lead role in the film God's Not Dead 2.

Business ventures

In May 2009, Hart opened a candy shop called SweetHarts in Sherman Oaks, California. Hart commented that it had been her "childhood dream" to own a candy shop. SweetHarts closed in December 2011 due to a lawsuit by a former employee alleging wrongful termination and racial discrimination, as well as other issues, and afterwards reopened under the same name with new owners. In 2015 it closed permanently.

In 2015, Hart and her husband started their own fashion line called King of Harts.

Personal life

On July 19, 2003, Hart married musician Mark Wilkerson. The preparations for the ceremony, which took place in Florence, were documented in a TV miniseries titled Tying the Knot, produced by Hart's production company, Hartbreak Films. Hart and Wilkerson have three sons: Mason Walter Wilkerson (born January 2006), Braydon Hart Wilkerson (born March 2008), and Tucker McFadden Wilkerson (born September 2012). They live in Westport, Connecticut.

Hart and Wilkerson were featured in People magazine's April 7, 2008 issue, introducing Braydon to the world. Hart wrote a diary, including video entries, to document potty training her son, Mason, for Huggies Pull-Ups brand diapers.

Hart and her family are Christians. In an interview, she stated that they attend church every Sunday and pray every night and before every meal.

Hart has expressed her support for the Republican Party. On November 5, 2012, the day before that year's Election Day, she sent out a tweet saying that she was endorsing Mitt Romney for president, which spurred backlash. Her endorsement of Romney became a trending topic and gained Hart 15,000 new Twitter followers. However, in addition to her mostly conservative views, she has also expressed support for increased gun control, marching in a Moms Demand Action demonstration in Brooklyn in May 2016. On August 16, 2016, in the run up to that year's presidential election, she announced via Twitter that she had donated to Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson's campaign. On August 28, 2016, she announced that she had joined Johnson's campaign as the Connecticut chairperson.

Filmography

Television

TV series roles

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1985	ABC Weekend Special	Cindy	Episode: "The Adventures of Con Sawyer and Hucklemary Finn"
1985	Kane & Abel	Florentyna Rosnovski (age 7)	Credited as Melissa Hart
1986	'	Laura Moore	Episode: "Torn" (credited as Melissa Hart)
1986	Another World	Roller-Skater	Episode dated April 22
1991-94	Clarissa Explains It All	Clarissa Darling	Lead role (65 episodes)
1992	Nick Arcade	Herself	"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	Only one episode produced
1995	Touched by an Angel	Claire Latham	Episode: "Angels on the Air"
1996	Weinerville	Herself / Subway Passenger	Episodes: "The Weinerville Election Special" "The Weinerville New Years Special: Lost In The Big Apple"
1996-2003	Sabrina the Teenage Witch	Sabrina Spellman	Lead role (163 episodes); Also producer, director
1997	Clueless	Sabrina Spellman	Episode: Mr. Wright
1997	Boy Meets World	Sabrina Spellman	Episode: "The Witches of Pennbrook"
1997	You Wish	Sabrina Spellman	Episode: "Genie Without a Cause"
1997	Teen Angel	Sabrina Spellman	Episode: "One Dog Night"
1998	Superman: The Animated Series	Saturn Girl / Irma Ardeen	Voice role
1998	The Zig and Zag Show	Herself	1 episode
1999	That '70s Show	Mary	Episode: "Eric gets Suspended"
1999-2000	Sabrina: The Animated Series	Aunt Hilda Spellman and Aunt Zelda Spellman	Voice role
2000	Just Shoot Me!	Krissy	Episode: "Fast Times at Finchmont High"
2003	The Jamie Kennedy Experiment	Herself	Episode dated March 20
2004	North Shore	Herself	Episode: "Secret Service"
2005, 2012	Robot Chicken	Emily the Spy, Hilda Spellman, and Sabrina Spellman (voice)	Episodes: "Operation Rich in Spirit", "Executed by the State"
2006	Justice League Unlimited	Delia & Deidre Dennis / Dee Dee	Voice
2007	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Sarah Trent	Episode: "Impulsive"
2009	Dancing With the Stars	Herself
2010-15	Melissa & Joey	Mel Burke	Lead Role (104 episodes) Also executive producer, director
2010	When I Was 17	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, alongside family members	Season 3, Episode 5. Her family competed against Paul Sorvino's family, and won the competition.

Film

Feature and made-for-TV film roles

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1986	Christmas Snow	Amy	TV (credited as Melissa Hart)
1995	Family Reunion: A Relative Nightmare	Samantha	TV
1996	Sabrina the Teenage Witch	Sabrina Sawyer	Pilot movie for TV series
1996	Twisted Desire	Jennifer Stanton	TV
1997	'	Melanie Cambridge	TV (credited as Melissa Hart)
1997	Two Came Back	Susan Clarkson	TV
1998	Silencing Mary	Mary Stuartson	TV
1998	Can't Hardly Wait	Vicki, Yearbook Girl	Uncredited
1998	Sabrina Goes to Rome	Sabrina Spellman / Sophia	TV
1999	Drive Me Crazy	Nicole Maris
1999	Love, American Style	Annabelle	TV; segment "Love In The Old South"
1999	Sabrina Down Under	Sabrina Spellman	TV
2000	Santa Mouse and the Ratdeer	Molly	Voice
2000	'	Sunlight Grrrll
2000	Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker	Delia & Deidre Dennis / Dee Dee	Voice
2001	Backflash	C.J.	Direct-to-video
2001	Recess: School's Out	Becky Detweiller	Voice
2001	The Voyage to Atlantis: The Lost Empire	Herself	Short; spinoff of Atlantis: The Lost Empire
2001	Not Another Teen Movie	Slow Clapper's Instructor/Herself	Uncredited
2002	Rent Control	Holly Washburn	TV
2002	Hold On	Herself	Short film
2006	Dirtbags	Kate	TV
2006	Jesus, Mary and Joey	Jackie
2007	Holiday in Handcuffs	Trudie Chandler	TV
2008	Whispers and Lies AKA Secrets of Pine Cove	Jill Roperson	TV
2009	Nine Dead	Kelly Murphy
2009	My Fake Fianc	Jennifer	TV
2011	Satin	Lauren Wells
2014	Santa Con	Rose DeMarco
2016	God's Not Dead 2	Grace Wesley
2016	Broadcasting Christmas	Emily Morgan	Hallmark Channel Original Movie

Music videos

Year	Title	Artist	Notes
1999	"(You Drive Me) Crazy"	Britney Spears	Song was featured on Drive Me Crazy Soundtrack
2008	"Anger Cage"	Course of Nature	Hart also has co-director credit

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Work	Result
1992	Young Artist Awards	Best Young Actress Starring in an Off-Prime Time or Cable Series	Clarissa Explains It All
1993		Best Young Actress Starring in a Cable Series
1994		Best Youth Actress Leading Role in a Television Series
1995		Best Youth Comedienne in a TV Show
1997	Saturn Awards	Best Genre TV Actress	Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
1997	Young Artist Awards	Best Performance in a TV Comedy: Leading Young Actress
1997	YoungStar Awards	Best Young Actress in a Comedy TV Series
1998	Kids' Choice Awards	Favorite Television Actress
1998	Young Artist Awards	Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series: Leading Young Performer
1998		Best Performance in a TV Movie or Feature Film: Young Ensemble	The Right Connections
1999	Kids' Choice Awards	Favorite Television Actress	Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
1999	Teen Choice Awards	Choice TV Actress
2000	Kids' Choice Awards	Favorite Movie Actress	Drive Me Crazy
2000		Favorite Television Actress	Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
2001		Favorite Television Actress
2002		Favorite Television Actress
2003		Favorite Television Actress	Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
2013	Young Artist Awards	Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award	Clarissa Explains It All & Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
2015	Women's Image Network Awards	Outstanding Actress Comedy Series	Melissa & Joey (episode: "Be The Bigger Person")
2015		Outstanding Film Directed by a Woman	Santa Con