Samantha Cope Breaks Silence on Divorce from Joey Lawrence

Joey Lawrence’s estranged wife, Samantha Cope, shared an emotional video on Instagram amid their ongoing separation. The video shows Cope in tears, alongside clips of her dancing with their daughter Dylan and petting a horse on a ranch. In the post, Cope mentions a friend’s advice about accepting her emotions, saying, “cause each tear is God gently squeezing the pain and devastation from your heart to make room for new beautiful feelings to come in.”

Cope has filed for divorce from Lawrence, citing irreconcilable differences. She is seeking full physical custody of their daughter, with limited visitation rights for Lawrence.

A source revealed to PEOPLE that Lawrence, 48, and Cope, 37, faced difficulties from the start of their relationship. Additionally, another source claimed that Lawrence began a relationship with Melina Alves, a writer, and co-star from his upcoming film “Socked in for Christmas.” Despite these claims, the source insisted that infidelity was not the primary reason behind the couple’s split.

Lawrence’s acquaintances indicate he is relieved the marriage is ending, expressing that he can finally “breathe.” However, he is reportedly devastated by his estranged wife’s custody demands.

According to insiders, Lawrence had reached his limit in defending his family to Samantha. He is deeply committed to his children and takes pride in being a devoted father. His daughters, including Dylan, are said to be very important to him, and he always prioritizes his family. The challenges of co-parenting with the current custody demands are reportedly very troubling for him.

“Joey is a man of integrity and a hard worker,” shared a source close to him. “He adores his daughters and takes his role as a father very seriously. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for his kids, and the current demands from Samantha are heartbreaking for him. He is committed to being very involved in his children’s lives.”