Melina Alves recently broke her silence on how she feels about Joey Lawrence’s apparent reunion with Samantha Cope, his estranged wife.
The “Socked In For Christmas” star seemed cool with the development. However, she hinted at something deeper when she said situations like theirs are “always multi-faceted” before declaring she would keep details of it and her friendship with Lawrence private.
“As far as Joey and Sam reuniting and reconciling, it came as a surprise to me as everyone else, and if it’s true, I wish them all the love.” Alves continued, “I wish them restoration with the relationship with his two older daughters and his wife as that relationship is ever so important.”
Melina Alves’ comments come after the formerly estranged couple shared a cozy picture online, shocking the world with news of their reunion. Prior to that, speculations had been ongoing about a romance between Joey Lawrence and Melina Alves. Here’s all we know.
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Melina Alves’ Statement Follows Lawrence and Cope’s PDA-Filled Post on Social Media
On Wednesday, December 4, Joey Lawrence, 48, seemingly hard-launched his reunion with Samantha Cope in an Instagram post. The post included photos from the premiere of their new romantic comedy, “Marry Christmas,” which was filmed two years ago.
One of the photos showed Lawrence with his hand around Cope’s waist while her hand rested on his chest. The second snap was a photo of the two sharing a kiss with the words “My forever after” written underneath.
The PDA comes four months after it was confirmed that Lawrence and Cope were getting a divorce in August. The two tied the knot in May 2022 and share a daughter, Dylan, who turns two next month. Lawrence also raises daughters Charleston, 18, and Liberty, 14, whom he shares with his ex-wife Chandie Yawn-Nelson.
Are Melina Alves and Joey Lawrence Dating?
When news of Joey Lawrence and Samantha Cope’s divorce first spread, a source told PEOPLE that they were parting ways because he had an alleged affair with Alves while filming “Socked in for Christmas.” However, Melina Alves has repeatedly denied this. She has since issued a statement via Instagram to clarify the nature of her relationship with Lawrence.
“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 said. “Our relationship was a meaningful friendship that developed naturally due to the many similarities in our personal situations.”
The pair remains adamant that they have been nothing but friends and have never had a romantic relationship.
What We Know About Joey Lawrence and Melina Alves’ Relationship
According to Alves, she and Lawrence found a “common ground,” which became the foundation for their “strong, supportive friendship that has been a source of strength for both of us” amid their troubled marriages.
Lawrence has also addressed the allegations and discussed life after Cope’s divorce filing on an episode of his podcast “The Brotherly Love Pod.”
“This has been a multifaceted journey these four [or] five years. Actually, there was a lot of pain in that journey despite public perception and what it looks like [on social],” he said. “Life will move on, and we will move through this. And my children will be at the forefront.”
How Melina Alves’ Husband Responded to the Scandal
While Joey Lawrence may have gotten a second chance with his wife, Melina Alves has not been so lucky. About a day after Samantha Cope filed for divorce from Lawrence, Melina Alves’ husband, Edward Rider, also accused her of cheating in a divorce filing
Rider alleged in the documents that he found out around late March that Joey Lawrence had a sexual relationship with Melina Alves. Rider reportedly claimed that Alves cheated on him with the actor during their time together in California. However, it’s unclear if this is where the movie was shot.
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Despite what Alves and Lawrence have said, Rider seems to believe that they did have an affair. And that it went on for some time. He also thinks the actors got together at “various” times and places, but Alves denies this.
Either way, it is clear that the marriage is done for. Melina Alves will not be getting the second chance Lawrence, her alleged partner in crime, is now enjoying with Cope.
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