EXCLUSIVE: Melissa Joan Hart on Speaking Out About Politics and Religion: 'There's No Dancing Around Certain H
Melissa Joan Hart stars as a teacher whose job is in jeopardy for speaking out about religion in the new faith-based drama, God’s Not Dead 2, and in real life, the actress also isn’t shy to stand up for what she believes in.
“I learned early on that if I waiver to other people's feelings or if I dance around a little too much of trying to be politically correct, you're not really making anybody happy, especially yourself,” Hart told ET at the film’s premiere last week. “So there's no dancing around certain hot topics and whatnot. I just do the research and like Maya Angelou said, 'Do better until you know better' and then when you know better, do better.”
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The actress said she was drawn to the role in God’s Not Dead 2 -- where her character is put on trial for bringing up religion in her public school classroom -- because it was “a great opportunity” and a storyline she could “honestly get behind.”
“Standing by your faith and doing what you feel in your heart of hearts is right, and that’s the way I try to live,” she explained. “It's like the old saying, 'If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.'"
For Hart, religion is easier to stand up for than politics. The actress admitted that she’s already frustrated with the 2016 election, even before the parties have selected their nominees.
“I don't want to vote at all this year!” she told ET. “I've got to see what happens….I think that the [political] parties are ruining our country.”
Hart supported Mitt Romney in 2012, but she’s not on board with the current GOP frontrunners.
“Not a Trump fan, not an anybody fan honestly,” she admitted. “I think the people I probably would have voted for are already out.”
God’s Not Dead 2 is in theaters now.
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