Melissa Joan Hart Shuts Down False Rumors About A 'Rivalry' With Lena Dunham

Melissa Joan Hart has cleared the air about an alleged rivalry with Lena Dunham. This comes after an online speculation that the pair have been "frenemies" for years dating back to when Hart was involved in Nickelodeon's "Clarissa  Explains It All."

Taking to Instagram, the "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" alum addressed the rumor, saying she was genuinely "confused" on why people drummed up such a false allegation, adding that she was even yet to meet Dunham.

The actress also confessed that she was a supporter of the "Sharp Stick" star's work plus "all that she does to support females in our industry." She also advised her fans not to get hooked by the lies from gossip sites.

Keep on reading to learn more.

In an Instagram post, Hart put to bed rumors that she has had a long-running beef with "Girls" star Dunham.

She said, "So I don't normally pay any attention to the tabloid rumor mill, but numerous friends have asked me about my "rivalry" with @lenadunham, and I'm truly confused. "

Hart commented in response to a claim submitted to celebrity gossip IG page, Deuxmoi, which read that Hart "has it out" for Dunham, citing that their connection was because the filmmaker's father was friends with the showrunner of Hart's former Nickelodeon show "Clarissa Explains It All.

Part of the claim also stated that the two ladies once had a "dinner party fight about child drag queens" before further insinuating that the "Dirty Little Secret" star "has a knack for alienating people in her life."

A second report also stated that Hart had previously avoided inquiries regarding Dunham on an Instagram Live.

Addressing the rumors, Hart shared that she has no "beef" with Dunham, adding that they "haven't even had the pleasure of meeting, let alone having enough of a relationship to warrant any time to discuss drag queens."

Hart also stated that the instigators of the rumors were only out to get fans hooked on "hot gossip that doesn't exist" with their flashy links. She advised that fans should avoid being victims of such falsehoods, adding that the propagators only do it for self-interest.

The actress said, "Please be careful not to get caught up in the hateful rhetoric of these sites that promote division and spew crap to make a profit.

Hart also shared that she was a "fan of Dunham's work," lauding the "This Is 40" star's effort to support females in the acting industry through her projects. Concluding her post, Hart said she hopes to meet Dunham and share a latte one day.

Following Hart's post, fans took to the comment section to agree with the actress that the rumor and other speculations were false.

One fan said, Just reading it, it was absurd on its face. You never have a bad word to say about anyone. Ridiculous!" while another commented, "we know it in our bones that all this stuff is BS."

Another follower wrote, "Some people have too much time on their hands! You are always a supporter of other women! Hit the road, duexmoi."

One more follower mentioned, "It's weird to me that these tabloids and fake news publications still exist in the day of social media. You'll see headlines that are wild and fanciful, and know that they aren't at all true because you follow the people on social media. It's ridiculous."

Dunham is yet to make any comments since the rumor made headlines.

In the meantime, Hart has been focused on spending time with her family, sons Mason, 16, Braydon, 14, and Tucker, 10, and husband, Mark Wilkerson. The actress' affection for them can be seen across her social media pages as she often posts pictures of the family having cute bonding moments.

She spoke with People earlier this year about her experience as a mother and the difficulties of having to watch her boys mature.

"They're getting huge," she told the publication. "It's just a loss of — It's a loss of their childhood when they start driving, which is weird."

The actress will next appear on the small screen in another Lifetime movie, "Dirty Little Secret," which premieres on November 17.