Melina Alves denies having affair with Joey Lawrence

Melina Alves has denied having an affair with Joey Lawrence.

The 40-year-old actress starred alongside Joey, 48, in Socked in for Christmas and following the news that he and his wife Samantha Cope are to divorce, she took to social media on Wednesday (Aug 28) to clear her name amid allegations that she was the reason for their split.

She wrote on Instagram: "It is with a deep sadness and heavy heart that I must address the recent allegations about the relationship between myself and Joey Lawrence, which have unfortunately become a public matter. As a private person, it is deeply distressing to see such personal and sensitive issues being discussed so 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. Our relationship was a meaningful friendship that developed naturally due to the many similarities in our personal situations."

Melina split from her husband Edward Rider last year and he had accused her of having an extramarital relationship in the filing, but she insisted that when it comes to Joey, they were simply "strong friends" and nothing more.

She added: "When I met Joey, I was immediately struck by his kindness, warmth and genuine character. 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."

Joey tied the knot with Samantha, 37, in May 2022 and has daughter Dylan, 19 months, but documents obtained by TMZ on Aug 21 show that she has filed for divorce and that they separated in June.

The outlet reported that Samantha "checked the box to block the court's ability to award either of them spousal support " and that she has asked for "sole physical custody of their daughter" until she reaches the age of three, at which point she will permit her to stay with her dad for up to "two nights per week".

Samantha also notes that she does not want " non-family members around Dylan while she's visiting her father" unless she permits it.

She then vowed to "let the tears flow" as part of the healing process as she broke her silence on the situation just days after the news became public.

She wrote on Instagram: "An amazing friend of mine recently told me, 'Don't be afraid of the tears. Let them flow. Because every tear is god gently squeezing the pain and devastation from your heart to make room for new beautiful feelings to come in.'

"She also reminded me, 'The more you cry, the less you pee.' So let them flow. You got this."

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