American actress Melissa Joan Hart has played lead roles as the main characters in the sitcoms Clarissa Explains It All (1991-1994), Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996-2003), and Melissa & Joey (2010-2015). Most recently, she starred as Liz in No Good Nick (2019). Additionally, she has appeared in the movies Drive Me Crazy (1999), Nine Dead (2009), and God’s Not Dead 2 (2016).
Melissa Joan Hart Bio Details
Full name: Melissa Joan Catherine Hart
Place of birth: Smithtown, New York, United States
Date of birth: 18 April 1976
Age: 48 years old (2024)
Height: 5 ft 2 in (157 cm)
Weight: 155 lbs (70 kg)
Education: New York University, Sayville High School, Sayville Middle School
Nationality: American
Zodiac sign: Aries
Gender: Female
Sexual orientation: Straight
Kids: 3
Profession: American actor
Marital status: Married
Spouse: Mark Wilkerson (m. 2003)
Mother: Paula Hart
Father: William Hart
Siblings: 7
Early Life
Melissa Joan Hart, the eldest of Paula and William Hart’s children, was born in Smithtown, New York. Her mother was a producer and talent manager, while her father worked as a carpenter, shellfish purveyor, oyster hatchery worker, and entrepreneur.
Her maternal grandfather, Stanley John Voje, was a Catholic and a veteran of the Navy. Hart spent her childhood in Sayville, New York.
After Melissa, Hart’s parents had four more kids: Trisha, Elizabeth, Brian, and Emily, who are all involved in the entertainment industry. Her parents split up in the early 1990s, and she relocated to New York City with her mom and siblings.
Her mother remarried Leslie Gilliams, a TV executive famous for participating in Season 5 of MasterChef in 2014, where he came in 3rd place. Hart also has three half-sisters: Alexandra, Samantha, and Mackenzie.
Melissa Joan’s education included attending Sayville High School, Sayville Middle School, and Professional Children’s School. She then pursued further education at New York University to enter the industry.
Career
In 1986, Melissa Joan Hart debuted in the film industry with her first movie, Christmas Snow, portraying the character of Amy. The audience’s positive reception of her performance led to numerous opportunities for her to appear in various films and television shows. In 1995, she starred as Samantha in her second film, Family Reunion: A Relative Nightmare.
Some of her notable film projects include Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Right Connections, and Silencing Mary. More recently, she was involved in the production of the 2022 film Dirty Little Secret. As a director, she has delivered stellar performances in The Watcher in the Woods, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and The Santa Con.
Her television career began in 1985 with her portrayal of Cindy in the ABC Weekend Special. Since then, she has established herself as a prominent figure in the industry.
In addition to her roles in Clarissa Explains It All, Touched by an Angel, and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, she has received recognition and accolades for her acting.
She has been a multiple recipient of the Young Artist Award and has also triumphed at the Kids’ Choice Awards. Additionally, she was a nominee for both the Women’s Image Network Awards and the Saturn Awards.
In 2023, Hart took part in season nine of The Masked Singer as “Lamp” and was voted off in the episode “Masked Singer in Space” along with Alicia Witt, who was disguised as “Dandelion”.
Melissa Joan Hart also played the role of Ella, Mary Bailey’s grandmother, in the Lifetime movie Would You Kill for Me? The Mary Bailey Story. Additionally, in 2024, she starred in the Lifetime film The Bad Guardian, which was based on various accounts of elder abuse.
Melissa Joan Hart’s Top TV Shows & Movies:
- Melissa & Joey (2010 – 2015)
- Sabrina The Teenage Witch (1996 – 2003)
- God’s Not Dead 2 (2016)
- Holiday in Handcuffs (2007)
- Dear Christmas
- My Fake Fiancé (2009)
- Sabrina Goes to Rome (1998)
- Sabrina Down Under (1999)
Husband & Kids
On July 19, 2003, Melissa Joan Hart and musician Mark Wilkerson tied the knot in Florence, Italy, after first meeting at the Kentucky Derby in May 2002.
The events leading up to their wedding were captured in the TV series “Tying the Knot”, produced by Hart’s company Hartbreak Films, and aired on ABC Family. The couple has three sons, born in 2006, 2008, and 2012.
Net Worth
Melissa Joan Hart, a multi-talented American individual, has a net worth of $13 million. She gained recognition through her role in the popular Nickelodeon show “Clarissa Explains It All,” which had 65 episodes spanning five seasons from 1991 to 1994. In addition to her acting career, Hart is also a director, producer, writer, singer, and businesswoman.
