Joey Lawrence breaks his silence on claims he had an affair with Melina Alves amid Samantha Cope divorce

Joey Lawrence has broken his silence regarding claims he had an affair with co-star, Brazilian actress Melina Alves.

The 48-year-old actor, who is divorcing 37-year-old Samantha Cope, released a statement on Thursday to his Instagram page.

'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 wrote.

'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 then said their 'bond was based on shared experiences and an understanding of the challenges we were both facing' in their personal lives.

Lawrence and Cope, who tied the knot in 2022, share daughter Dylan, 19 months. She filed for divorce on August 21 after they separated in June.

He also stressed that his marriage was suffering before he even met his co-star.

'I was clinging to the hope that I could save a relationship that, in my heart, I knew was beyond saving,' he wrote.

'My short-lived marriage was fraught with difficulties from the beginning. Our differences became insurmountable.'

He also suggested that Cope did not accept his two eldest daughters.  

'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,' added the star.

The star shares daughters Charleston and Liberty with ex-wife Chandie Yawn-Nelson, whom he was married to from 2005 to 2020.

He was previously married to Michelle Vella between 2002 and 2005. 

'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,' 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 estranged husband Edward Rider in his divorce paperwork, which was filed in late July.

He claims in the documents  that he found out about Joey and Melina allegedly sleeping together in late March. 

Joey and Melina are accused of conducting the alleged affair in California - after starring together in upcoming film, Socked In For Christmas. Melina is also a writer on the film. 

Rider claims the affair went on 'at various other times and places.'

On Wednesday, Melina denied she had an affair with Lawrence.

The 40-year-old actress posted a lengthy statement on her Instagram page on Wednesday denying the affair rumors.

Melina was accused of having an affair with Joey by her estranged husband Edward Rider. 

Melina wrote in her statement: 'It is with deep sadness and heavy heart that I must address the recent allegations about the relationship between myself and Joey Lawrence, which have unfortunately become a private matter.'

The actress called the accusations of an affair 'deeply distressing' and said that 'there was no sexual relationship between' her and Joey while on the set of their holiday movie.

She explained that her and Joey became friends through their 'common ground in our shared experiences.' 

Melina also gave a timeline for her own marriage, explaining that her and her ex-husband Edward Rider have been estranged since January 2023 and still live in the same home although they use separate rooms.

The actress said that she has had to 'obtain a temporary restraining order' from her husband and that she had to in order to 'protect myself in a time of vulnerability.' 

She said he 'violated' the restraining order and that she went to the police station to report it, which she said then led him to allegedly 'contacted news outlet.'

Samantha broke silence on her divorce from the actor in an emotional Instagram clip uploaded on Saturday.

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 listed the date of separation as June 7, 2024.

Alongside a video montage, Samantha penned in the caption, 'An amazing friend of mine recently told me 'don't be afraid of the 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 beautiful feelings to come in.''

'She also reminded me: 'the more you cry, the less you pee.' So let them flow. You got this.' 

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 girl.

The reel then cut to Samantha flashing a big smile on her face as she twirled around with her daughter in her arms inside a spacious bedroom.

Cope could 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 course of the video, a voiceover could be heard saying, 'Look at you, look how far you've come.'

'You've faced your trauma, and you came out on the other side. And I'm sorry to get a little emotional. But there were some times there that I was really worried about you, miss girl. But look at you today. I am so proud of you. You're a survivor baby.'