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. 2020)​ Samantha Cope ​ ​ (m. 2022; sep. 2024)​
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 a child in the early 1980s. You might know him as Joey Russo from the TV show Blossom or Joe Longo from Melissa & Joey. He also starred in Gimme a Break! and Brotherly Love with his real-life brothers, Matthew and Andrew. Some of his movies include Summer Rental and the Disney animated film Oliver & Company.

Early Life and Education

Joey Lawrence was born and grew up in Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. This is a suburb near Philadelphia. He is the oldest son of Donna Lynn and Joseph Lawrence Mignogna Jr. His family changed their last name to "Lawrence" when he started acting. He has two younger brothers, Matthew and Andrew, who are also actors.

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

Acting Career Highlights

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

Early TV Roles

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

Movies and Voice Acting

In 1985, Joey made his first movie appearance in Summer Rental. He also lent his voice to the main character, Oliver, in the 1988 Disney animated film Oliver & Company. He was 12 years old at the time.

Blossom and Brotherly Love

From 1991 to 1995, Joey starred in the hit TV series Blossom on NBC. He played Joey Russo, a role that made him very famous. He was about 15 years old when the show started.

Later, he starred in another series called Brotherly Love. This show was special because his real-life brothers, Matthew and Andrew Lawrence, also starred in it. 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

Dancing with the Stars and Broadway

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

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

Lawrence in 2011 at March of Dimes

Melissa & Joey and Recent Work

In 2009, Joey starred in the TV movie My Fake Fiancé with Melissa Joan Hart. This movie was very popular. In August 2010, Joey and Melissa Joan Hart teamed up again for the ABC Family sitcom Melissa & Joey. In the show, Joey played Joe Longo, a former financial expert who becomes a nanny. His brothers, Matthew and Andrew, even made guest appearances on the show. The series ran until 2015.

In 2022, Joey competed on The Masked Singer as "Walrus." In 2023, he brought back his famous "Whoa!" catchphrase from Blossom for a VinFast car commercial.

Music Career

Joey Lawrence has always loved music. When he was very successful as an actor, he also started a music career. His first album, Joey Lawrence, came out in 1993 when he was 16. He helped write some of the songs, including the popular single "Nothin' My Love Can't Fix". This song was even used in the movie Cop and a Half.

In 2011, he released a single called "Rolled." In 2017, Joey formed a band with his brothers, Matthew and Andrew, called Still 3. They released their first song, "Lose Myself."

Podcasting

In 2023, Joey started a podcast called "Brotherly Love Podcast." He hosts it with his brothers, Andrew and Matthew. They talk about their old TV shows and other fun topics.

Personal Life

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

He then married Chandie Yawn-Nelson in 2005. They had two daughters, Charleston and Liberty. They divorced in 2020.

In 2022, Joey married actress Samantha Cope. They met while working on a movie together. They have one daughter, born in 2023. In 2024, they separated but later announced they had gotten back together.

Filmography

Film

Television

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)

Discography

• Joey Lawrence (1993)
• Soulmates (1997)
• Imagine (EP, 2017)
• Guilty (EP, 2022)

Images for kids

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  Lawrence at GalaxyCon Richmond in 2024

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  Lawrence with the cast of Melissa & Joey

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  Lawrence in 2011 at March of Dimes

See also

In Spanish: Joey Lawrence para niños