Entertainment TV Melissa Joan Hart Reacts to Fans' Shock That She's Playing a Grandma at 47: 'Now Clarissa Can Explain AARP' Hart's recent Lifetime movie, 'Would You Kill for Me? The Mary Bailey Story', sees her playing a grandmother to a young girl who is instructed by her mother to put an end to her stepfather's abuse By Dory Jackson Dory Jackson Dory Jackson is an Associate Editor for PEOPLE's digital TV team. While at the brand, she's had the opportunity to interview a long list of celebrities, from Kate Hudson to Pierce Brosnan to Billy Porter. She has also helped recap popular TV shows like 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,' 'Sister Wives' and 'Vanderpump Rules.' The New York-based Maryland native graduated from Randolph-Macon College in May 2016 with a focus on Communication Studies and Journalism. She came to PEOPLE in March 2021 after working at a number of major news companies, including Newsweek and Us Weekly. People Editorial Guidelines Published on December 15, 2023 11:19AM EST Close Melissa Joan Hart. Photo: Craig Barritt/Getty Melissa Joan Hart fans can't believe their eyes. When longtime followers of the Sabrina the Teenage Witch alum piped up online this week about her playing a grandmother in Lifetime's Would You Kill for Me? The Mary Bailey Story, the actress decided to address the response on Instagram, writing, "Let me explain...." "While I'm proud of my performance in my most recent movie #WouldYouKillForMe, I couldn't be more flattered that people don't think of me as a grandmother (no matter how possible it is at the age of 47)," she continued. "It's also refreshing to go viral for my work and not something controversial." The former Clarissa Explains It All star then quipped, "I guess now Clarissa can Explain AARP or play the Middle-Aged Witch." Story of Girl, 11, Forced by Mom to Kill Stepdad Becomes Lifetime Movie: 'It Came Full Circle' (Exclusive) Would You Kill for Me? The Mary Bailey Story follows three women — a grandmother, her daughter, and her granddaughter — as they conspire to murder an abusive man. The Lifetime film is based on the real-life story surrounding Mary Elizabeth Bailey, whose mother instructed her to fatally shoot her abusive stepfather when she was just a child. Bailey — who penned the 2020 memoir My Mother's Soldier about her experiences — recently told PEOPLE that the multiple perspectives featured within the film are crucial in being able to better understand what transpired. "Not one is played out to be so terrible that you don't have some empathy for that person," she shared in October. "But that's what I really love about it, is I think people can watch it and even if they're going through something, they can sympathize or empathize and understand what people go through and why they go through what they're going through." (L-R) Melissa Joan Hart and Presley Allard are pictured in their Lifetime movie, 'Would You Kill For Me? The Mary Bailey Story'. Courtesy of Lifetime Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Bailey said things "came full circle" for her when she saw the film, "It's very emotional. But watching it and knowing that other people, hopefully millions of people, will be watching this and be able to relate to this and to find some hope, some healing through this movie," she continued. "I mean, it's really good, and very excited about it. So that's mainly the focus, is healing and hope for others." If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.