Joey Lawrence first appeared in a commercial when he was just 5 years old and has been on screen ever since. As a young man, the talented star mainly acted in TV series like Blossom and Melissa & Joey before moving on to feature films. In addition to his acting career, Lawrence writes his own music and hosts podcasts. Learn more about his life and career on philadelphia-trend.
Family and Early Life
Joseph Lawrence Mignogna III was born on April 20, 1976, in a Philadelphia suburb. His parents were Joseph Lawrence Mignogna Jr. and Donna Lynn. His father worked as an insurance broker, while his mother was a teacher who later became a personnel manager. The family had English, Scottish, and Italian heritage.
Joseph had two younger brothers, Matthew and Andrew. As adults, they also became actors and appeared alongside Joey in several projects.
The future actor attended a local school and went on to earn a higher education degree from the University of Southern California. Since childhood, his life had been connected to the world of film, so he decided to pursue a career in that field.
Acting Career: From Commercials to Films
Joey Lawrence’s first time on a set was in 1981, when, at the age of five, he was cast in a “Cracker Jack” commercial. The following year, he was invited onto the popular The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. There, Joey sang and danced, capturing the public’s attention.
After that, he began getting offers for small roles in TV series. In 1983, he joined the popular sitcom Gimme a Break!, where he acted until 1987. During this period, he also appeared in the film Summer Rental, which was released in 1985, and voiced the main character in the film Oliver & Company.
The next successful phase of his career was the series Blossom, which aired on NBC from 1991 to 1995. In it, Lawrence played Joey Russo. He and his brothers also starred in the series Brotherly Love. He was invited to act in the series Runaway Home and appeared in episodes of American Dreams and CSI: NY. One of his feature films from this era was Urban Legends: Final Cut.
In 2006, Joey Lawrence was a contestant on the show Dancing with the Stars. His partner was dancer Edyta Śliwińska. The pair finished in third place in the project’s finale. In 2008, he became the host of the show Master of Dance.
A popular series featuring Lawrence was the sitcom My Fake Fiancé, in which he starred alongside Melissa Joan Hart. The series premiered in 2009, with the first episode attracting over 3 million viewers. The following year, the sitcom Melissa & Joey premiered, with Lawrence and Hart again starring together. Joey’s brothers also participated in this project. The series ran for four seasons and concluded in 2015.
In 2022, the actor appeared on the show The Masked Singer. The next year, he was in the romantic comedy Frankie Meets Jack. Also in 2023, Lawrence and his brothers created the podcast Brotherly Love Podcast.
Joey Lawrence’s Music Career
Joey Lawrence has always spoken of music as a great passion. Because of this, he not only pursued acting but also began a career in the recording industry. His debut album, Joey Lawrence, was released in 1993, when he was just 16 years old.
Later, the actor co-wrote the international hit “Nothin’ My Love Can’t Fix,” which was used in the film Cop and a Half. The music video for the track was played on MTV and MuchMusic. It charted on multiple lists, and Lawrence performed the song live at MTV Spring Break.
In 2011, Joey Lawrence released the singles “Rolled” and “Give It To Ya (Acoustic).” In 2017, he and his brothers formed the band “Still 3.” The group’s debut single was titled “Lose Myself.”
The Actor and Singer’s Personal Life
As for his personal life, Joey Lawrence’s first wife was Michelle Vella in 2002. The marriage ended in divorce three years later.
In 2005, the actor married Chandie Yawn-Nelson, whom he had known since his teenage years. The couple had two daughters. In the spring of 2018, it was revealed that Lawrence and his wife had filed for bankruptcy, a case that was eventually settled. The actor’s second marriage also ended in divorce in the summer of 2020.
Joey Lawrence married for a third time in 2022 to actress Samantha Cope. They met while filming the TV movie A Deadly Deed, which was interestingly directed by Lawrence’s brother, Andrew. His daughter, Charleston, also starred in the film.
In 2023, Joey and Samantha had a baby girl, but the following year, it was announced that the actor’s wife had filed for divorce. However, the official dissolution of the marriage never happened. The next year, it was reported that the couple had reconciled.
Joey Lawrence continues to forge his creative path, which has now lasted for over 40 years. Throughout this time, he has successfully realized his acting talent and musical potential, and he isn’t stopping anytime soon.
