Joey Lawrence facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joey Lawrence
Lawrence at GalaxyCon Richmond in 2024
Born	Joseph Lawrence Mignogna III (1976-04-20) April 20, 1976 (age 49) Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Other names	Joseph Lawrence, Joey Lawrence
Education	Abington Friends School (1994) University of Southern California
Occupation	Actor, musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, game show host
Years active	1981–present
Spouse(s)	Michelle Vella ​ ​ (m. 2002; div. 2005)​ Chandie Yawn-Nelson ​ ​ (m. 2005; div. 2022)​ Samantha Cope ​ ​ (m. 2022)​
Children	3
Relatives	Matthew Lawrence (brother) Andrew Lawrence (brother)

Joseph Lawrence Mignogna III (born April 20, 1976), known as Joey Lawrence, is an American actor, musician, and TV host. He started acting when he was very young in the early 1980s. You might know him from TV shows like Blossom, where he played Joey Russo, or Melissa & Joey, where he was Joe Longo. He also starred with his real-life brothers, Matthew and Andrew, in the series Brotherly Love.

Early Life and Family

Joey Lawrence was born and grew up in Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. This is a town near Philadelphia. His mother, Donna Lynn, was a teacher, and his father, Joseph Lawrence Mignogna Jr., worked in insurance. His family's last name was changed to "Lawrence" when he began acting as a child. He has two younger brothers, Matthew and Andrew, who are also actors.

Joey went to Abington Friends School and finished in 1994. Later, he studied at the University of Southern California.

Acting Career

Starting Out in Acting

Joey Lawrence began his acting journey at just five years old in 1981. His very first role was in a commercial for Cracker Jack. Before he turned six, he appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. On the show, he sang "Give My Regards to Broadway" and even tap-danced!

After making guest appearances on popular shows like Diff'rent Strokes and Silver Spoons, Joey got a big role. In 1983, he joined the NBC sitcom Gimme a Break! as Joey Donovan. He stayed on the show until it ended in 1987.

Big Roles on TV and Film

In 1985, Joey made his first movie appearance in Summer Rental. He also lent his voice to the character of Oliver in the 1988 Disney animated film Oliver & Company when he was 12.

From 1991 to 1995, when he was a teenager, Joey co-starred in the hit TV series Blossom on NBC. He played Joey Russo, a role many people remember him for.

He later starred in Brotherly Love with his brothers, Matthew and Andrew. He also appeared in Run of the House and guest-starred on shows like American Dreams and CSI: NY. One of his movie roles was in Urban Legends: Final Cut in 2000.

Lawrence with the cast of Melissa & Joey

In 2006, Joey competed on ABC's Dancing with the Stars. He danced with professional partner Edyta Śliwińska and finished in third place.

In 2007, he performed on Broadway in the musical Chicago as Billy Flynn. He also hosted a dance show called Master of Dance on TLC in 2008.

Recent TV Work

In 2009, Joey starred with Melissa Joan Hart in the TV movie My Fake Fiancé. This movie was very popular, with millions of viewers. In August 2010, Joey and Melissa Joan Hart teamed up again for the ABC Family sitcom Melissa & Joey. In this show, Melissa plays a woman who hires Joey as a nanny for her sister's children. Joey's real-life brothers, Matthew and Andrew, also made guest appearances on the show. The series ran for four seasons and ended in 2015.

Lawrence in 2011 at March of Dimes

In 2013, Joey co-hosted the ABC reality show Splash, where celebrities learned to dive.

More recently, in 2022, Joey competed on The Masked Singer as "Walrus." He was eliminated during "90s Night." In 2023, he brought back his famous "Whoa!" catchphrase from Blossom for a VinFast car commercial. He appeared in a second VinFast ad later that year.

Music Career

Joey Lawrence has always loved music. When he was 16, he released his first album, Joey Lawrence, in 1993. The album included the hit song "Nothin' My Love Can't Fix". This song was even used in the movie Cop and a Half. Its music video was played a lot on MTV.

In 2011, he released a single called "Rolled." He also released "Give It To Ya (Acoustic)." In 2017, Joey formed a band called Still 3 with his brothers, Matt and Andy. They released their first song, "Lose Myself."

Podcasting

In 2023, Joey started a podcast called "Brotherly Love Podcast" with his brothers, Andrew and Matthew. They talk about their experiences and rewatch old TV shows they were in. The podcast is part of PodCo, a studio started by former Disney Channel actress Christy Carlson Romano.

Personal Life

Joey Lawrence has been married three times. He married Michelle Vella in 2002, and they divorced in 2005.

He met his second wife, Chandie Yawn-Nelson, when they were teenagers at Walt Disney World. They got married there in July 2005 and have two daughters together. They faced some financial challenges in 2017. Their divorce was finalized in February 2022.

In 2022, Joey married actress Samantha Cope. They met while working on a TV movie. They have one daughter, born in 2023. In August 2024, Samantha filed for divorce, but in December 2024, they announced they had decided to stay together and dismissed the divorce filing.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Dancing with the Stars Performances

Commercials

• VinFast: "Whoa" - VinFast VF8 "Changing Lanes" Campaign (US Debut, August 2023)
• VinFast: "Whoa 2"- VinFast VF8 "Changing Lanes" Campaign (US, December 2023)

Theater Roles

• Chicago (2007) as Billy Flynn (replacement)

Music Discography

Studio Albums

Extended Plays (EPs)

Singles

See also

In Spanish: Joey Lawrence para niños