The following is a transcript of an article which appears in the September issue of Satellite Entertainment Guide.
This Witch has Hart by Frank Barron
Melissa Joan Hart has really grown up on TV. She spent her childhood doing national television commercials, and her adolescence starring in Nickelodeon's "Clarissa Explains It All". And now at 20, she's landed the title role of "Sabrina the Teenage Witch", which highlights the exploits of a girl who tries to keep her magical powers under control. Based on the popular character from the Archie comic book series, the show debuts this fall on ABC. But on the set, Hart is wielding the magic wand behind the camera as well. The show's production credits are being shared between her and her mother, Paula. Hart describes the half-hour sitcom as "sort of a cross between Clueless, and Bewitched. Not only does Sabrina look like me, but she's really a cool character." She admits the role is a far cry from her last TV movie, "Twisted Desire", which recently ran on NBC. In it she plays a seductive teenager, who convinces her lovestruck boyfriend to murder her very strict parents. But it's Sabrina that appeals to her now. "She'll be fresh and new to kids who don't know her from the Archie comic books," says Hart. "And adults might like to see the comic book character they grew up with." Looking back on Clarissa, Hart recalls the tenure as being "completely hectic. Four years of school and rehearsals and filming. But it was a rewarding time for me. Not very social, but a lot of work. And I did a lot of growing and learning." Aside from several cameos in soaps, dramas and sitcoms, she also appeared on Broadway with Martin Sheen in "The Crucible", and with William Hurt in "Beside Herself". Her schedule is still hectic, but she still finds time to go to school whenever she can. She's a student at New York University and is able to combine her studies with her workload. She keeps up via wiring assignments via e-mail and faxing papers to her professor. "I don't have a major right now," Hart says. "But I'm studying the Golden Age of Eastern Europe, I'm in a writing workshop and I want to take sociology, anthropology and French." She's preparing herself for the possibility that her acting prospects could diminish down the road. "So I'm going to school to discover other things of interest," she said. "And maybe look at different career opportunities." In the meantime, HartBreak production company, the business she owns with her mother, is involved in numerous projects. First off is a 90-minute TV show called "DoomRunners", which will shoot in Australia for Nickelodeon. The Harts are associated with several Down Under partners on the endeavour, which may also go out as three separate half-hour episodes. They will also produce a show in Europe with the BBC and are talking to the Disney people about a series for the company's television wing. ("maybe even one day a Sabrina the Witch ride at DisneyLand," she quips). It's not all business, however. Hart recognizes the importance of having friends whose interests aren't confined to the entertainment industry. "It's important to have friends outside of show business to balance your life and keep your perspective," she says. "Sometimes friends who don't know the business, don't have the problems that your might have, such as not having enough time, racing to auditions and the like, but it's also good to have people to have the same interests as you, since they understand what you're going through." Besides, it's not easy hanging out with a star who plays a character that is capable of turning you into a toad.
Eric Last, November 8th 1996