Melina Alves is clapping back at claims she and Joey Lawrence had an affair.
Nearly one week after news broke that the actress’ estranged husband, Edward Rider, alleged in his divorce filing that the “Socked in for Christmas” co-stars were romantically involved, she broke her silence via 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,” Alves, 41, began her lengthy statement on Wednesday.
She called the claims “deeply distressing,” adding, “I want to clarify that there was no sexual relationship between myself and Joey while we were on set filming.
“Our relationship was a meaningful friendship that developed naturally due to the many similarities in our personal situations,” Alves continued.
She praised Lawrence, 48, as “kind,” “warm” and “genuine,” doubling down on them finding a “strong, supportive friendship” due to their “common ground in shared experiences.”
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Rider’s claims made headlines on Thursday, one day after Lawrence’s estranged wife, Samantha Cope, filed for divorce.
The 37-year-old cited irreconcilable differences in her filing, listing their date of separation as June 7.
Alves clarified in Wednesday’s Instagram post that she and Rider have been living in separate rooms since January 2023.
“Our marriage had been struggling for some time,” she noted, slamming her ex for “unjustly dragging” Lawrence into their drama.
Alves concluded by alleging she had made the “difficult and deeply personal decision” to obtain a temporary restraining order against Rider.
It is unclear when the former couple tied the knot.
As for Lawrence and Cope, the duo walked down the aisle in May 2022 in Temecula, Calif., after one year of dating.
Their daughter, Dylan, was born in January 2023, and Cope has requested sole physical custody of the toddler.
Lawrence was previously married to Michelle Vella from 2002 to 2005 and Chandie Yawn-Nelson from 2005 to 2022, sharing daughters Charleston, 18, and Liberty, 14, with the latter.
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