Currently in the process of divorcing his third wife, Samantha Cope, actor Joey Lawrence denies that infidelity caused their breakup.
On August 13, Cope, whom Lawrence shares a 19-month-old daughter, Dylan Rose, submitted paperwork for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences." The former Gimme a Break star has been married twice before and shares two daughters, Charleston, 18, and Liberty, 14, with his second wife, Chandie Yawn-Nelson.
On Thursday (August 29), Lawrence clarified the reason for his split from Cope, whom he married in 2022, claiming that he didn't have an affair with his Socked in for Christmas costar, Melina Alves. It was reported last week to People that the two had begun dating, with a source claiming that Lawrence "love-bombed" Alves.
"With a deep sense of responsibility, I want to respond to the recent allegations surrounding my personal life, including my divorce and the claims of an affair with Melina Alves," Lawrence began in a statement on Instagram.
"Melina and I became close friends and I did not have a physical relationship with her while filming the movie 'Socked in for Christmas'. These rumors are false," he continued. "Our bond was based on shared experiences and an understanding of the challenges we were both facing in our personal lives."
Lawrence added that in meeting Alves during his "deeply troubled marriage," it was with Cope that he was "clinging to hope that I could save a relationship that, in my heart, I knew was beyond saving."
"My short-lived marriage was fraught with difficulties from the beginning. Our differences became insurmountable," he wrote.
Lawrence continued by calling his three daughters his "top priority" and that he had a "realization" that "there was no way my two eldest daughters were ever going to be accepted by my wife to be part of my family."
"I cannot and will not compromise on the love and care that my daughters deserve, and this realization played a significant role in the breakdown of my relationship," he wrote.
"I understand that my life is often in the public eye, and with that comes a level of scrutiny that can be difficult to bear," he concluded. "However, I must emphasize that the well-being of my children is of the utmost importance."
Lawrence signed off by thanking followers for their "understanding and respect," but Cope responded with her own statement, calling her husband's accusations "deeply troubling."
"I am confident that the truth is known to me, to Joey, and to God," she wrote. "I am choosing to put my focus on healing, caring for my daughter, and processing the loss of my marriage and my family."
Lawrence and Cope met on the set of their Lifetime film My Husband's Secret Brother in 2021 and married one year later in Temecula, California.
Related Stories
Ben Affleck's ‘Erratic Mood Swings’ Reportedly Contributed to Jennifer Lopez Divorce
Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck after two years of marriage.
Cardi B Denies Rumor That Offset Was an 'Unsupportive' Husband During Their Marriage Amid Divorce Filing
While Cardi B has filed for divorce from Offset, she claims that her husband of nearly seven years was helpful as a co-parent and business partner.
Halle Berry Claims Ex-Husband Olivier Martinez Is Avoiding Agreed-Upon Co-Parenting Therapy
The two were married from 2013 to 2016 and share a 10-year-old son, Maceo.
