In mid-August 2024, actress Samantha Cope filed for divorce from former teen heartthrob Joey Lawrence, to whom she’d been married since May 2022. Not long after the filing went public, rumors started spreading alleging that the split was due to Lawrence sparking more than just a friendship with Melina Alves, the co-star of his upcoming movie, the holiday-set Socked in for Christmas.
After initially staying silent on the rumors, which People sourced to insiders, Joey Lawrence addressed the issue directly on his Instagram page by claiming that the cheating claims were completely false, and that his ongoing friendship with Alves is not a direct cause for his marriage. Here’s how his explanation began:
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. 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 former Celebrity Big Brother Houseguest went on to say that whenever he met Alves ahead of Socked in for Christmas, his marriage with Cope was already on a downward slope, despite attempts to keep the connection alive. He shared that the relationship was troubled from the start due to various circumstances, and then explained why his two daughters from a previous marriage were central to the break-up. In his words:
As a father, my three daughters are my world. They are, and always will be, my top priority. The unraveling of my marriage was tied to my 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.
Lawrence, who'd previously voiced his urge to be the next Batman, concluded his explaination by acknowleding that his fame puts him in the public eye, and asking for fans' respect and understanding while going through this difficult period.
How Melina Alves Responded To The Cheating Rumors
Understandably, the cheating rumors also caused issues for Melina Alves, whose own broken marriage was thrust under the microscope in the aftermath. She also took to Instagram to speak her mind, first directly denying that she and the former Blossom star (and Call Me Kat guest star) were sexually active with one another while filming the Christmas movie. As she put it:
First and foremost, I want to clarify that 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. 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.
Alves then explained what the situation has been with her estranged ex, pointing out that their relationship was on the rocks whenever she and Joey Lawrence started working together. As she put it:
It is important to provide context to these allegations. My ex-husband and I have been estranged since January 2023, and we have been living in separate rooms since that time. Our marriage had been struggling for some time, and the separation was a necessary step for both of us. I have always valued my privacy, and it is incredibly painful to have such personal matters thrust into the public eye in a way that has caused harm not only to me but also to Joey, who has been unjustly dragged into this situation.
Things allegedly became so heated that Alves says she filed a temporary restraining order against her ex-husband during a moment of vulnerability, and says that he quickly violated it. She then alleged that after she reported him to authorities, he quickly contacted news outlets and shared his side of things.
For now, it's unclear where things will go next for the two co-stars and their respective relationships. It's also unclear if Socked in for Christmas will be part of the upcoming Hallmark movie schedule or if another network or streaming service will be scooping that one up.
