Joey Lawrence's Estranged Wife Samantha Cope Breaks Silence amid Divorce: 'Don't Be Afraid of the Tears'

Mar. 15, 2025

Samantha Cope and Joey Lawrence.Photo:Samantha Cope/Instagram; Joey Lawrence/Instagram

Samantha Cope/Instagram; Joey Lawrence/Instagram

Samantha Copeis speaking out for the first time following herdivorcefromJoey Lawrence.

On Saturday, Aug. 24, the 37-year-old actress shared her firstInstagram postfollowing the news that she and theMelissa & Joeyactor, 48, are splitting two years after tying the knot.

“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 began the caption of her post.

“She also reminded me: ‘the more you cry, the less you pee,’ ” Cope jokingly added. “So let them flow. You got this. 🩵🙏🏻.”

Alongside her caption, Cope included a video composed of a series of clips that highlighted recent good times, including one of herself and her daughter,Dylan Rose, 1, in the car, and another of the mother-daughter pair having a lakeside outing. She also included moments of them dancing around their house, going out for ice cream and having lunch together.

Cope also shared a glimpse into more emotional times she had over the past few weeks, including clips in which she could be seen shedding tears in her car and outdoors.

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PEOPLE confirmed on Wednesday, Aug. 20, that Lawrence and Cope — who met while filming Lifetime’sMy Husband’s Secret Brotherin 2021, before tying the knot in May 2022 — wereseparating after two years of marriage.

“Joey met Melina Alves on the set of their movie, where she was a producer,” the source claimed. “He then love-bombed her just like he love-bombed Samantha. He continued to date Melina even after Samantha found out about it and confronted him.”

Samantha Cope shares Instagram video showing her emotions over the past few weeks.Samantha Cope/Instagram

Samantha Cope/Instagram

When Cope “wanted to go to counseling,” the source claims, Lawrence “fooled their counselor” and would “get ready for dates with Melina while Sam watched, bawling her eyes out.”

Lawrence, Cope, Alves did not return recent requests for comment from PEOPLE.

She requested to block the court’s ability to award either side spousal support and is seeking full physical custody of their daughter Dylan, while permitting Lawrence visitation at her discretion.

source: people.com