Joey Lawrence Expresses Optimism About Moving On In Life Following Samantha Cope's Divorce Filing; Commits To Being Best Father To His Daughters
Joey Lawrence and Samantha Cope got married in a touching ceremony in May 2022. Just two years later, they are facing divorce, with allegations of infidelity and a daughter in the mix.
Joey Lawrence seems to be approaching life with optimism amid his divorce from Samantha Cope.
On the August 30 episode of his The Brotherly Love Podcast, the 48-year-old actor opened up about how he is coping with life after his wife of two years filed for divorce on August 20. During this period, rumors also emerged about him allegedly cheating on her with his Socked In for Christmas co-star, Melina Alves.
Lawrence noted that his focus has been on protecting his children lately. He explained that his marriage with Cope had been a journey of pain for the most part, despite the couple’s loved-up display on social media. Despite the challenges of divorce, Lawrence expressed hope to focus on his family as he navigates the next steps in his life.
Life will move on and they all pass through this, he said. Lawrence added that his children will be at the forefront always. For the uninitiated, he shares his 19-month-old daughter, Dylan, with Cope, and his two teenage daughters, Charleston, 18, and Liberty, 14, whom he shares with his ex-wife Chandie Yawn-Nelson.
“I have always been and will always be the best dad I can possibly be, and I will take care of my girls until the day I die,” Lawrence said, adding, “I’m not perfect, but I will do my best” for them. During his podcast, the actor asked his fans for understanding, explaining that the situation is a "private journey" for him and his family.
A day before the podcast aired, Cope, 37, shared a statement with People Magazine after Lawrence accused her of not accepting his daughters from his previous marriage into their family via an Instagram post. The actress, refuting his claims, expressed that the allegations being levied against her by her soon-to-be ex-husband are deeply troubling, especially since she is a girl mom herself. “I am confident that the truth is known to me, to Joey, and to God,” Cope said in her statement to the publication, before noting that her primary focus in the aftermath of her marriage not working out is on healing and caring for her daughter.
In his earlier mentioned social media post, Lawrence also claimed that the pair’s “short-lived marriage was fraught with difficulties from the beginning,” and the differences eventually became “insurmountable.” It was in this post itself that the actor denied having an affair with Alves.
Court documents accessed by multiple celebrity news and gossip websites reveal that Cope lodged the divorce papers seeking annulment of her two-year-long marriage to Lawrence on August 13. She listed June 7, 2024, as their date of separation. Cope is seeking full physical custody of their daughter as well as requesting the court to waive spousal support entitlements to both parties.