| Hart was born in Smithtown, New York, on Long Island, to Paula and William Hart, and grew up in Sayville, New York. Her stepfather (since 1994) is television executive Leslie Gilliams, and her stepmother is Lisa Hart. Hart was named after the Allman Brothers song 'Melissa', while her middle name, Joan, came from her maternal grandmother. Hart chose Catherine as her confirmation name when she was in eighth grad |
