Melissa Joan Hart Recalls Ordeal Behind Sabrina Episode: Vomiting and Nearly Fainting
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- Melissa Joan Hart mengungkap kondisi kesehatannya yang memburuk saat syuting episode finale musim ketiga Sabrina the Teenage Witch di Hawaii.
- Meski demikian, ia tetap menyimpan kenangan manis dan kerap menguji pengetahuan penggemar soal rahasia keluarga Spellman.
- Pengalaman sebagai bintang cilik membentuk etos kerjanya, walau diakui sempat menghambat perkembangan sosialnya.
Melissa Joan Hart, the actress who played Sabrina Spellman in the ABC teen fantasy series Sabrina the Teenage Witch, has opened up about a dark story behind the scenes. While rewatching the season three finale episode titled The Good, the Bad and the Luau, she immediately remembered the moment her body gave out on set—vomiting violently and nearly losing consciousness.
The episode, which aired in 1999, took Sabrina to Hawaii for a family reunion, where she learned that every member of the Spellman clan has a twin. Sabrina had to face her twin, Katrina, to determine who was good and who was evil. However, filming under the blazing sun turned into a nightmare for Hart.
“I remember distinctly, on top of that volcano, I was vomiting severely. I asked the key grip to stand behind me just in case I fainted and fell,” Hart told Entertainment Weekly, as quoted from a recent interview. “I vomited off camera, but I still had to stand and play two versions of myself. So when I watch it, I can only mutter, ‘Oh God, are you okay?’”
Despite her physical condition being disrupted, Hart still remembers the episode warmly. She even has a unique way of testing fans at various Comic Con events. “I always ask the kids, ‘Do you know the secret of the Spellman family?’ I gauge how deeply they know the series from their answers,” she said.
For Hart, the character Sabrina was not an easy one to play. “Sabrina is the type of person who tries to disappear, doesn't like to stand out. But luckily she gets so many strange and crazy adventures, so the acting stays fun,” she explained. She mentioned various additional roles such as playing the evil twin, Alice in Wonderland, or a trapeze artist made her comfortable playing the role for years.
“I think it gave me a good work ethic. It helped me grow up faster, learn about myself, and be independent. But on the other hand, socially my development was hindered,” Hart recalled about her childhood as a child star.
Nevertheless, she does not regret her past. Thanks to the role of her parents—producer Paula Hart and actor William Hart—Hart still experienced a normal childhood. “I'm fairly normal, even though I've been acting since I was four. I joined Girl Scouts, went skiing with my family. So there are many normal things in the midst of this strange world,” she concluded.
Hart's story mirrors how the pressures of the entertainment industry can burden the physical and mental health of young stars. In Indonesia, a number of child artists also face similar challenges when they have to undergo packed filming schedules while still pursuing their education. The public is also increasingly critical of child protection in the acting world. Going forward, can the entertainment industry—both in Hollywood and at home—create a more humane working environment for its young performers?
