The entertainment world was abuzz this week when Lifetime announced that Melissa Joan Hart, known for her role in ‘Sabrina The Teenage Witch,’ would be portraying a grandmother in their upcoming movie ‘Would You Kill For Me?: The Mary Bailey Story.’ Based on a true story, the film follows the life of Mary Bailey, whose mother urged her to kill her abusive stepfather when she was just 11 years old. At age 47, Hart will be playing the role of Ella, Mary’s grandmother and mother to Veronica, who gave birth to Mary at the age of 16.
Fans were initially shocked by the news. Many took to social media to express their disbelief and outrage at the thought of the youthful actress playing a grandmother. Some went as far as calling it “misery loves company” and joked that they couldn’t believe Hart was already old enough to have grandchildren. There were comparisons made to her previous role in ‘Holiday in Handcuffs’ and disbelief that the film was released over 10 years ago. Some fans also expressed their condolences to Hart’s husband, joking that his childhood crush was now a grandmother.
I made it all so much worse. In my head I thought, “Wasn’t she just in a holiday romcom with Mario Lopez a hot minute ago?” Holiday in Handcuffs came out in 2007.
It got worser
— Virginia Brasch (@Virginia_Brasch) December 13, 2023
Hart responded to the criticism with a lighthearted post on her Instagram, where she acknowledged that she understood the uproar. However, she also took the opportunity to express her pride in her performance in her most recent movie and her gratitude that her fans don’t see her as someone who could play a grandmother, even though she is of age. She also expressed her relief that she was going viral for her work and not something controversial, ending the post with a clever nod to her previous roles.
The news of Hart playing a grandmother is not the first time that the actress has faced criticism. Earlier this year, she faced backlash for a controversial tweet about Hurricane Maria’s impact on Puerto Rico. However, this time her fans are rallying around her, with many coming to her defense and praising her for her performance in the upcoming movie.
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While some fans may not be ready to see Hart play the role of a grandmother, the actress is proving that she has the versatility to take on different roles and break away from her wholesome image as Sabrina. ‘Would You Kill For Me?’ is set to premiere on Lifetime later this year, and fans will have the opportunity to see Hart in a new light. Despite the initial shock, there’s no denying that Hart’s performance will leave a lasting impression on viewers.
