Melina Alves is breaking her silence on the affair allegations with her Socked in for Christmas costar, Joey Lawrence.
On Aug. 28, the actress released a statement addressing the nature of her relationship with Lawrence in a post shared to Instagram.
After Lawrence’s estranged wife, Samantha Cope, filed for divorce earlier this month, a source told us that the former couple had gone their separate ways after he allegedly struck up a relationship with Alves on the movie.
Noting how she’s felt “a deep sadness” about the recent allegations, Alves clarified the nature of her relationship with Lawrence and how they became friends while filming the upcoming holiday movie.
“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 claimed. “Our relationship was a meaningful friendship that developed naturally due to the many similarities in our personal situations.”
From left: Joey Lawrence and Melina Alves.
Melina Alves/Instagram;Joey Lawrence/Instagram
Alves said that she was “immediately struck by his kindness, warmth, and genuine character” and the two found a “common ground in our shared experiences” which became the foundation for their “strong, supportive friendship that has been a source of strength for both of us.”
In order to provide “context to these allegations,” Alves claimed that she and her ex-husband Edward Rider have been estranged since January 2023 and have “been living in separate rooms since that time.”
(L-R) Ricardo Chavez, Allison Elliott, Joey Lawrence and Melina Alves film ‘Socked in for Christmas’.
Melina Alves/ Instagram
“Our marriage had been struggling for some time, and the separation was a necessary step for both of us,” she continued. “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.”
She went on to explain how the circumstances of their separation led to her obtaining a temporary restraining order against Rider.
“l ask for understanding and respect for our privacy as we navigate these difficult circumstances,” Alves concluded. “This is a deeply private matter that I never intended to become public, and I hope that this clarification can help put an end to the speculation and allow both Joey and myself to move forward without further intrusion.”
On Aug. 13, Cope filed for divorce from Lawrence after two years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences as reason for their split.
She requested to block the court’s ability to award either side spousal support. Additionally, she is seeking full physical custody of their daughter Dylan, 19 months, while permitting Lawrence visitation at her discretion.
