Joey Lawrence has broken his silence on allegations that he had an affair with his co-star, Brazilian actress Melina Alves.
The 48-year-old actor, who is in the process of divorcing Samantha Cope, 37, posted a statement on his Instagram page on Thursday.
“With a deep sense of responsibility, I want to respond to recent allegations surrounding my personal life, including my divorce and claims of an affair with Melina Alves,” Lawrence wrote.
‘Melina and I became close friends and I did not have a physical relationship with her while we were filming the movie Socked in for Christmas. Those rumors are false.’
He later said their “bond was based on shared experiences and understanding the challenges we both faced” in their personal lives.
Joey Lawrence broke his silence on allegations that he had an affair with his co-star Melina Alves; he was spotted with his youngest son
The actor posted a statement on his Instagram page on Thursday. “With a deep sense of responsibility, I want to respond to the recent allegations surrounding my personal life, including my divorce and claims of an affair with Melina Alves,” Lawrence, 48, wrote.
Lawrence and Cope, who tied the knot in 2022, have a daughter, Dylan, 19 months old. She filed for divorce on August 21 after they split in June.
She also noted that her marriage was suffering even before she met her co-star.
“I was holding on to the hope that I could save a relationship that, in my heart, I knew couldn’t be saved,” she wrote.
‘My brief marriage was plagued by difficulties from the start. Our differences became insurmountable.’
He also suggested that Cope did not accept his two older daughters.
“I cannot and will not compromise the love and care my daughters deserve, and this realization played a major role in the breakdown of my relationship,” the star added.
The star shares daughters Charleston and Liberty with ex-wife Chandie Yawn-Nelson, to whom he was married from 2005 to 2020.
Joey and Melina were accused of having an affair by her ex-husband Edward Rider in their divorce proceedings, which were filed in late July.
Melina has worked with Joey in the film Socked in For Christmas
He was previously married to Michelle Vella from 2002 to 2005.
“I understand that my life is often in the public eye and that comes with a level of scrutiny that can be difficult to bear,” Lawrence concluded. “However, I must emphasize that the well-being of my children is of the utmost importance. Thank you for your understanding and respect as I navigate this difficult chapter in my (family’s) life.”
Joey and Melina were accused of having an affair by her ex-husband, Edward Rider, in their divorce lawsuit, which was filed in late July.
She claims in the documents that she learned that Joey and Melina were allegedly sleeping together in late March.
Joey and Melina are accused of carrying out the alleged affair in California, after starring together in the upcoming film, Socked In For Christmas. Melina is also a screenwriter on the film.
Joey’s ex-wife Cope filed for divorce last week, on August 13, after two years of marriage.
Rider claims the romance continued “at various other times and places.”
On Wednesday, Melina denied having had an affair with Lawrence.
The 40-year-old actress posted a lengthy statement on her Instagram page on Wednesday denying the romance rumors.
Melina was accused of having an affair with Joey by her ex-husband Edward Rider.
Melina wrote in her statement: “It is with deep sadness and regret that I must address the recent allegations regarding the relationship between Joey Lawrence and myself, which have unfortunately become a private matter.”
The actress called the romance allegations “deeply distressing” and said there was “no sexual relationship” between her and Joey while they were on the set of their Christmas movie.
She explained that she and Joey became friends through their “commonalities in our shared experiences.”
Melina also gave a timeline of her own marriage, explaining that she and ex-husband Edward Rider have been estranged since January 2023 and still live in the same house, although they use separate bedrooms.
The actress said she had to “get a temporary restraining order” from her husband and that she had to do so to “protect myself at a time of vulnerability.”
She said he “violated” the restraining order and that she went to the police station to report him, which she said led to him allegedly “contacting the media outlet.”
Samantha broke her silence on her divorce from the actor in an emotional Instagram clip posted on Saturday.
Samantha broke her silence on her divorce from the actor in an emotional Instagram clip posted on Saturday
Lawrence said his wife Cope didn’t really accept their two older daughters.
The mother of one officially filed for divorce from the Melissa & Joey star on August 13 after two years of marriage, citing “irreconcilable differences” and set the separation date as June 7, 2024.
Alongside a video montage, Samantha wrote in the caption: “An amazing friend recently told me ‘don’t be afraid of tears. Let them flow.'”
She added: “Because every tear is God gently squeezing the pain and devastation from your heart to make room for new and beautiful feelings to enter.”
“She also reminded me, ‘the more you cry, the less you pee.’ So just let it flow. You can do it.”
Cope shared a variety of clips in the post as she spent time with her one-year-old daughter, Dylan Rose, whom she shares with Lawrence.
The star also shared candid snippets of herself crying while sitting outside and also inside a vehicle with her baby.
The reel then shows Samantha flashing a big smile on her face as she twirled around with her daughter in her arms inside a spacious bedroom.
Joey, center, with his brothers Andrew, left, and Matthew, right, at the Hollywood premiere of Darlings in 2017
Cope can be seen standing next to a horse with a scenic landscape surrounding her, as well as other sweet moments shared with her little one.
Throughout the video, a voice-over can be heard saying, “Look at you, look how far you’ve come.”
“You faced your trauma and you came out on top. Sorry to get a little emotional, but there were times when I really worried about you, young lady. But look at you today. I’m so proud of you. You are a survivor.”