Joey Lawrence responds to rumors he cheated on wife with Christmas movie costar, leading to divorce

Samantha Cope filed for divorce this month.

Joey Lawrence is responding to rumors that an extramarital affair with Melina Alves, his costar in an upcoming Christmas movie, is the cause of his divorce from wife Samantha Cope.

"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," he 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. Our bond was based on shared experiences and an understanding of the challenges we were both facing in our personal lives."

The Blossom alum described his marriage of two years to Cope, whom he met on 2021 Lifetime movie My Husband's Secret Brother, as "deeply troubled."

He said that, when he met Alves, "I was clinging to the hope that I could save a relationship that, in my heart, I knew was beyond saving."

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"My short-lived marriage was fraught with difficulties from the beginning," Lawrence added. "Our differences became insurmountable."

His full statement is below:

EW has reached out to representatives for Lawrence, Alves, and Cope.

According to him, one of the problems in his union was "tied to my realization that there is no way my two eldest daughters were ever going to be accepted by my wife to be part of my family."

Lawrence shares two daughters, 18-year-old Charleston and Liberty, 14, with a previous wife, Chandie Yawn-Nelson. He and Cope welcomed a daughter, Dylan, in January 2023.

Cope filed for divorce this month, two months after the couple separated. Officially, she listed the cause as "irreconcilable differences." She is reportedly seeking full physical custody of their daughter and to block spousal support for either actor.

Per PEOPLE, Cope took issue with her ex's statement.

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"As a mother who values her daughter above all else, I find these false accusations deeply troubling. I am confident that the truth is known to me, to Joey, and to God," Cope said. "I am choosing to put my focus on healing, caring for my daughter, and processing the loss of my marriage and my family. "

Alves' estranged husband, Edward Rider, alleged in a July divorce filing that he learned in March that Alves and Lawrence were having an affair, TMZ reported.

Alves shared her own statement on Wednesday, saying, "There was no sexual relationship between Joey and myself while we were on set filming Socked in for Christmas. Our relationship was a meaningful friendship that developed naturally due to the many similarities in our personal situations."

"When I met Joey, I was immediately struck by his kindness, warmth, and genuine character," she continued. "We found common ground in our shared experiences, which led to a strong, supportive friendship that has been a source of strength for both of us."

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Before Cope, the Melissa and Joey star was married to Yawn-Nelson from 2005 to 2020. From 2002 to 2005, he was wed to Michelle Vella.

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