Joey Lawrence is accused of having an affair with Brazilian actress and writer Melina Alves, according to divorce papers filed by Alves' husband and obtained by the New York Post.
Alves starred with Lawrence, 48, in the upcoming Christmas movie, "Socked in For Christmas."
This news comes shortly after Lawrence's wife, Samantha, began divorce proceedings following two years of marriage.
In late July, Edward Rider filed for divorce from his wife, Alves, in New Jersey, as reported by TMZ. Soon after, Samantha also filed for divorce.
Rider claims that he uncovered Alves and Lawrence's affair in late March, with their relationship beginning in California. The film they were working on was filmed in Los Angeles throughout March and April.
According to reports, Samantha marked the date of her and Lawrence's separation as June 7.
Rider's legal documents also suggest that the alleged affair between his wife and Lawrence occurred at multiple locations beyond just California.
Notably, Lawrence and his soon-to-be ex-wife first met while filming the Lifetime movie "My Husband's Secret Brother" in 2020. They became engaged in August 2021 and tied the knot in May 2022.
In her divorce petition, Samantha cited "irreconcilable differences" as the basis for ending their marriage and requested sole custody of their daughter, Dylan, who was born in January 2023.
The actress has asked the court to restrict Joey Lawrence's access to their daughter, allowing visits only with her prior approval. She suggested that when Dylan turns 3, Lawrence could have overnight visits up to twice a week. However, she is requesting that full custody or extended visitations not be granted until Dylan is older and able to make her own decisions about such arrangements.
Samantha also requested that neither she nor Lawrence receive spousal support in their divorce proceedings.
Alves has a child from her marriage to her estranged husband.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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