Joey Lawrence denies affair with Christmas movie co-star: 'These rumors are false'

Actors Joey Lawrence and Melina Alves are speaking out about allegations of an affair that occurred around the time the two filmed the upcoming holiday movie "Socked in for Christmas."

Alves issued a statement on Instagram on Aug. 28 addressing the "recent allegations" about her relationship with Lawrence.

Her comments come after Lawrence's wife of two years, Samantha Cope, filed for divorce in Los Angeles on Aug. 13 citing irreconcilable differences, according to court documents. The two were married in 2022.

Less than a day after Alves' statement, Lawrence released one of his own on Instagram in which he also denied reports of an affair.

Alves, who said she is estranged from her ex-husband Edward Rider, wrote that it has been "distressing" to see personal issues discussed "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 wrote. "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," she continued. "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 shared "for context" that she and Rider have been estranged since January 2023 and "living in separate rooms."

"Our marriage had been struggling for some time, and the separation was a necessary step for both of us," she wrote.

The Brazilian actor wrote that Lawrence has been “unjustly dragged into this situation.”

“This is a deeply private matter that I never intended to become public, and I hope this clarification can help put an end to the speculation and allow both Joey and myself to move forward without further intrusion,” Alves wrote.

Lawrence responded in his own Instagram post on Aug. 29 that he "did not have a physical relationship" with Alves while filming the movie.

"These rumors are false," he wrote. "Our bond was based on shared experiences and an understanding of the challenges we were both facing in our personal lives."

Lawrence wrote that he was in "a deeply troubled marriage" that was "fraught with difficulties" when he met Alves.

The father of three also wrote that the unraveling of his marriage was connected to the fact that there was "no way" his two older daughters from his marriage with ex-wife Chandie Yawn-Nelson "were ever going to be accepted" by Cope to be part of their 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," he wrote.

Lawrence and Alves star together in the upcoming holiday movie "Socked in for Christmas." The movie was filmed in April, according to posts on Alves' Instagram page.

In her divorce filing, Cope listed the date of her separation from Lawrence as June 7, 2024.

She petitioned the court for joint legal custody and full physical custody of their 1-year-old daughter, Dylan, until she's 3 years old, according to the filing. The girl was born in January 2023.

TODAY reached out to Cope for comment and did not receive a response. Rider was not able to be reached for comment.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com