Joey Lawrence's co-star denies ‘deeply distressing’ affair allegations
Joey Lawrence’s co-star, Melina Alves, is denying allegations she had an affair with the actor after his wife, Samantha Cope, filed for divorce earlier this month.
"It is with a 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 public matter," Alves began her post on Instagram.
"As a private person, it is deeply distressing to see such personal and sensitive issues being discussed so openly and inaccurately.
"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,’" she added. Alves wrote, produced and co-starred with Lawrence in the film.
JOEY LAWRENCE ACCUSED OF AFFAIR WITH MARRIED CO-STAR AFTER WIFE SAMANTHA COPE FILES FOR DIVORCE
"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."
A representative for Alves confirmed her statement to Fox News Digital. Representatives for Lawrence and Cope did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
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Lawrence and Alves’ rumored affair was allegedly a factor in Lawrence's split.
According to a People source, "Joey met Melina Alves on the set of their movie, where she was a producer. He then love-bombed her just like he love-bombed Samantha. He continued to date Melina even after Samantha found out about it and confronted him."
Cope suggested the two go to counseling, but apparently Lawrence "fooled their counselor" and would "get ready for dates with Melina while Sam watched, bawling her eyes out," the source alleged.
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The "Blossom" star’s soon-to-be ex-wife filed for divorce Aug. 13, two months after their date of separation, which was on June 7, 2024, according to court documents. The split occurred two years after Lawrence and Cope tied the knot in May 2022. They share a 1-year-old daughter, Dylan, whom Cope is seeking full physical custody of.
Alves continued, providing "context" to the allegations about her interactions with Lawrence. She explained in her post that she and her ex-husband, Edward Rider, have been "estranged" since January 2023, "living in separate rooms since that time," adding the separation was "a necessary step for both of us."
"Furthermore, I feel compelled to share that my estranged husband has presented situations that necessitated me to obtain a temporary restraining order. This was a difficult and deeply personal decision, made solely to protect myself in a time of vulnerability."
The Brazilian-born actress added that Rider had "violated the restraining order and on the day I went to the police department to report the violation, he immediately contacted news outlets, further victimizing me."
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Rider filed for divorce a few weeks before Cope submitted paperwork to separate from Lawrence, according to TMZ. The outlet reportedly obtained the filings, which alleged Rider discovered in March that Alves and Lawrence were having an affair.
Alves concluded her post by reiterating that "this is a deeply private matter" that she never wanted to be public and hoped to "put an end to the speculation and allow both Joey and myself to move forward without further intrusion."
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Cope recently shared her own post on social media, alluding to moving on from negativity.
"An amazing friend of mine recently told me ‘don’t be afraid of the tears. Let them flow,’" Cope wrote on Instagram. "Because every tear is God gently squeezing the pain and devastation from your heart to make room for new beautiful feelings to come in.’"
The actress concluded her video with happy clips of her and her daughter Dylan smiling while petting a horse. The emotional post had a voice narration that said, "Look at you, look how far you’ve come."
Fox News Digital's Stephanie Giang-Puanon and Larry Fink contributed to this report.