'Blossom' Star Joey Lawrence's Wife Files for Divorce

The couple split just prior to their second wedding anniversary.

By Ashley Turner

Samantha Lawrence, wife of former Blossom star Joey Lawrence, has officially filed for divorce after two years of marriage. The couple, who tied the knot in May 2022, are now facing the end of their whirlwind romance, which began on the set of a Lifetime movie.

According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Samantha cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the dissolution of their marriage. The paperwork, filed on Aug. 13, reveals that the couple had already separated on June 7, marking the end of their union just shy of their second wedding anniversary.

The divorce filing contains several notable requests from Samantha, particularly concerning the couple's young daughter, Dylan, born in January 2023. In a move that may signal potential conflict, Samantha is seeking sole physical custody of the 19-month-old, with visitation rights for Joey to be granted at her discretion.

The custody arrangements outlined in the filing are quite stringent. The document states, "Once Dylan is 3 or older, Joe will have the option to take her for 2 nights in her home location if he is not working and can facilitate her visiting." However, Samantha is requesting that Joey be barred from taking Dylan for "long, extended periods of time until she is old enough to specifically ask for the visitation time and all parties agree and able to facilitate."

Furthermore, the filing stipulates that Joey "must be available for the full time" during Dylan's visits while she's a minor. It also states that Dylan "is not to be in the presence of any non-family members while with Joe unless agreed upon by Samantha."

These demands suggest that the divorce proceedings could potentially become contentious, especially regarding custody issues. It's worth noting that Joey has two older daughters from a previous marriage, Charleston, 18, and Liberty, 14, which may complicate matters further.

In addition to the custody arrangements, Samantha has moved to block the court's ability to award spousal support to either party. This decision could have significant financial implications for both individuals as they navigate their post-marital lives.

The couple's relationship began in an unusual setting – on the set of the Lifetime movie My Husband's Secret Brother in 2021. Joey played a dual role as Samantha's lover and killer in the thriller.

In a December 2023 interview with PEOPLE, Joey reflected on their unique meeting, saying, "We did this big thriller that my brother Andrew directed for Lifetime, and I met her on the set that movie. Which is so crazy to me. I'd never dated somebody that I'd worked with before. That was just very, very much out of the ordinary for me." He humorously added, "I was her killer. Well, I was her lover — and also her killer."

Their romance progressed quickly, with the couple getting engaged in August 2021 and marrying in May 2022 at the Temecula Creek Inn in Temecula, California. At the time of their wedding, Joey expressed his joy to PEOPLE, stating, "Life can be challenging at times, but when God gives you the right person, it's worth it."

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The first signs of trouble in paradise became apparent when Joey was spotted without his wedding ring during a family vacation to Jamaica in August. Samantha was noticeably absent from the trip, which Joey and his brothers described as a "vacation of a lifetime." They told the Dotdash Meredith-owned outlet, "Nothing matters more in this life than the beautiful memories you share with loved ones. It was a vacation of a lifetime and we can't wait to go back!"

Samantha herself had hinted at the separation on social media in recent weeks. According to TMZ, She unfollowed Joey on Instagram, removed him from her bio, and posted cryptic messages that suggested the couple was going through a difficult time. For now, representatives for Joey Lawrence have not responded to requests for comment. 

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