Joseph Lawrence Mignogna III (born April 20, 1976) is an American actor, musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, podcaster and game show host. He was a child actor in the early 1980s and portrayed Joey Russo in Blossom and Joe Longo in Melissa & Joey. Lawrence also starred in Gimme a Break! (1983–1987), and the series Brotherly Love with his real-life brothers Matthew and Andrew. His film appearances include Summer Rental (1985) and Oliver & Company (1988).
Joey Lawrence | |
|---|---|
 Lawrence at GalaxyCon Richmond in 2024 | |
| Born | Joseph Lawrence Mignogna III April 20, 1976 |
| Other names | Joseph Lawrence, Joey Lawrence |
| Education | |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, game show host |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Spouses | Michelle Vella
(m. 2002; div. 2005)Chandie Yawn-Nelson
(m. 2005; div. 2020)Samantha Cope
(m. 2022; sep. 2024) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives |
|
Early life
editLawrence was born and raised in Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania,[1][2] a suburb of Philadelphia. He is the eldest son of Donna Lynn (née Shaw), a personnel manager and former elementary school teacher,[3] and Joseph Lawrence Mignogna Jr., an insurance broker.[4] He is of Italian, English, and Scottish descent.[5] His family's stage surname was changed to "Lawrence" during his childhood when he started acting. He has two younger brothers, actors Matthew and Andrew.[6]
Lawrence graduated from Abington Friends School in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, in 1994 and later attended the University of Southern California.[7]
Career
editActing
editIn 1981, when he was five years old, Lawrence landed his first acting role in a Cracker Jack commercial.[8] Three weeks before turning age six, he appeared on the March 31, 1982, episode of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, where he performed the song "Give My Regards to Broadway" and tap danced.[9][10]
After appearing in guest spots on Diff'rent Strokes and Silver Spoons, Lawrence won the role of Joey Donovan on the hit NBC sitcom Gimme a Break! in 1983. He continued in that role until the series ended in 1987. 1985 marked Lawrence's theatrical debut with the release of Summer Rental. Lawrence provided the voice of Oliver, the protagonist in the 1988 Disney film Oliver & Company at the age of 12. From 1991, at the age of 15, to 1995, Lawrence co-starred in the hit TV series Blossom on NBC, playing Joey Russo.
Lawrence has also starred in the series Brotherly Love (which featured his real-life brothers, Matthew and Andrew Lawrence) and Run of the House and has guest starred on such programs as American Dreams and CSI: NY.[11] One of Lawrence's film credits is Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000).
In 2006, Lawrence appeared on ABC's Dancing with the Stars. Paired with professional dancer Edyta Śliwińska, he placed third in the competition.
In May 2007, he starred in the Broadway hit Chicago as Billy Flynn.[12] He next hosted a dance competition show on The Learning Channel, Master of Dance, which premiered June 9, 2008.[13]
In 2009, Lawrence starred in the television film My Fake Fiancé with Melissa Joan Hart, which premiered on ABC Family with 3.6 million viewers, becoming the most-watched television film the rating season, sweeping top rank in its time period in key demos. In August 2010, Lawrence returned to television in the ABC Family sitcom Melissa & Joey, again opposite Hart.[14] Hart plays a woman who hires Lawrence as a nanny to help care for her incarcerated sister's kids. Lawrence's character is a former figure in the financial industry whose company came under investigation for wrongdoing and caused his professional life to be put on hold. Lawrence's brothers have guest-starred on the show. Matthew Lawrence played Tony Longo in season 1 episode 25 and Andrew Lawrence appeared in season 1 episode 26 as Ryder Scanlon's teacher, Evan McKay. The series was renewed for its fourth season and ended in 2015.[15]
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In 2012, he was contracted to be a Chippendales dancer for a special engagement in June at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.[16] On March 19, 2013, Lawrence began appearing in the ABC reality show Splash, co-hosting alongside Charissa Thompson.
In 2022, Lawrence competed in season eight of The Masked Singer as "Walrus". He was eliminated on "90s Night" alongside Le'Veon Bell as "Milkshake".[17]
In August 2023, Lawrence resurfaced his Blossom catchphrase, "Whoa!", by starring in a VinFast's VF8 ad campaign,[18] covered by Automotive News[19] and Ad Age.[20] In December of the same year, Lawrence reprised his role in a second installment of VinFast's "Changing Lanes" campaign.[21]
Music career
editLawrence has said that music was always his passion, and at the height of his success began a recording career. Lawrence was 16 when his debut album Joey Lawrence was released in February 1993. Produced by Steve Barri, Tony Peluso, Terry Lupton, and Ian Prince. Lawrence co-wrote some material, including the international hit single "Nothin' My Love Can't Fix" (#6 Billboard Hot 100 Airplay, No. 10 Billboard Top 40 Mainstream, No. 19 Billboard Hot 100, No. 13 United Kingdom, No. 68 Australia).[22] The song was used as the end-title theme from the film Cop and a Half; its music video received heavy airplay on MTV and MuchMusic, and Lawrence was invited to perform live on MTV's Spring Break, The Arsenio Hall Show, and the UK's Top of the Pops in 1993.[citation needed]
In June 2011, he released a single, "Rolled", which was available as a free download for one week on ABC Family's website.[23] In July, Joey released a second single, "Give It To Ya (Acoustic)" via Pledge Music.[24] In 2017 Joey started a band with Matt and Andy called Still 3. They released their debut single "Lose Myself".[25]
Podcasting
editIn 2023, Joey launched a podcast called "Brotherly Love Podcast" with his brothers Andrew and Matthew.[26] It was launched through PodCo, a podcast studio launched by actress Christy Carlson Romano and focused on rewatches of completed television series by their former actors.
Personal life
editLawrence married Michelle Vella in 2002; the couple divorced in 2005.[27]
He met his second wife, Chandie Yawn-Nelson, while on vacation in Disney World when the two were teenagers. They wed there in July 2005,[28] and have two children, Charleston and Liberty.[29][30][31] Reports surfaced in March 2018 that Lawrence and Yawn-Nelson had filed for bankruptcy in July 2017.[32][33] On April 6, 2018, the Chapter 7 bankruptcy case was reportedly settled.[34][35] Lawrence filed for divorce in July 2020.[27]
In 2022 Lawrence married actress Samantha Cope whom he met on the set of a Lifetime movie directed by his brother Andrew and co-starring his daughter Charleston.[36][37] The couple has one daughter, born in 2023.[38] On August 13, 2024, Cope filed for divorce.[39]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Summer Rental | Bobby Chester | |
| 1988 | Pulse | David Rockland | |
| Oliver & Company | Oliver | Voice role | |
| 1991 | Chains of Gold | Tommy | |
| 1994 | Radioland Murders | Frankie Marshall | |
| 1995 | A Goofy Movie | Chad | Voice role |
| 1999 | Tequila Body Shots | Johnny Orpheus | |
| 2000 | Urban Legends: Final Cut | Graham Manning | |
| Desperate But Not Serious | Darby | ||
| 2001 | Do You Wanna Know a Secret? | Hank Ford | |
| A Christmas Adventure ...From a Book Called Wisely's Tales | Wolfpack Leader | Direct-to-video film; voice role | |
| 2002 | Trois 2: Pandora's Box | Det. Anderson | |
| 2006 | Rest Stop | Officer Michael Deacon | Direct-to-video film |
| 2008 | Killer Pad | Joey Lawrence | |
| Together Again for the First Time | Carey Krzyznyk | Direct-to-video film | |
| 2010 | Sinatra Club | Louie 'Pipes' Pepitone | |
| 2011 | Hit List | Lyle | |
| 2016 | Saved By Grace | Rick | |
| Emma's Chance | Kevin Chambers | ||
| Arlo: The Burping Pig | David | ||
| Isle of the Dead | Lt. Paul Gibson | ||
| 2017 | Girl Followed | Jim | |
| 2018 | Sk8 Dawg | Mr. Hoffman | |
| 2019 | Roe v. Wade | Robert Byrn | |
| 2020 | Money Plane | The Concierge | |
| My Brother's Keeper | Preach | ||
| Pardoned by Grace | Scott Highberger | ||
| 2020 | The Office Mix-Up | Mikey | |
| 2021 | Mistletoe Mixup | Tom | |
| 2023 | Frankie Meets Jack | Jack Shaw | Also writer and executive producer |
| TBA | Turning Tables | Reid | [citation needed] |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Scamps | Sparky | Television film |
| Diff'rent Strokes | Joey | Episode: "Big Brother" | |
| Silver Spoons | Joey Thompson | Episode: "The Best Christmas Ever" | |
| 1983 | Little Shots | Pete | Television film |
| Wait till Your Mother Gets Home! | Chris Peters | Television film | |
| 1983–1987 | Gimme a Break! | Joey Donovan | Main role |
| 1984 | Young People's Specials | Billy | Episode: "Umbrella Jack" |
| 1985 | ABC Afterschool Special | Mattie | Episode: "Don't Touch" |
| 1989 | Adventures in Babysitting | Brad Anderson | Unsold TV pilot |
| 1990–1995 | Blossom | Joey Russo | Main role |
| 1993 | Olsen Twins Mother's Day Special | Singer | TV special |
| Almost Home | Jeff Thornton | Episode: "Girls and Boy" | |
| Empty Nest | Wade | Episode: "Aunt Verne Knows Best" | |
| 1995 | The John Larroquette Show | Carly's Brother | Episode: "Whipping Post" |
| Something Wilder | J.J. Travis | Episode: "Bergman of Alcatraz" | |
| Prince for a Day | Ralph Bitondo / Ricky Prince | Television film | |
| Wheel of Fortune | Himself | Episode #2398: Celebrity Week | |
| 1995–1997 | Brotherly Love | Joe Roman | Main role |
| 1996 | Brothers of the Frontier | Ethan Frye | Television film |
| 1999 | Touched by an Angel | Jesse | Episode: "Fool for Love" |
| Horse Sense | Michael Woods | Television film; also co-producer | |
| Recess | Franklin Dudikoff | Voice role; episode: "The Dude" | |
| 2001 | Jumping Ship | Michael Woods | Television film |
| 2002 | Romantic Comedy 101 | Mark Gibson | Television film |
| The Zeta Project | Dex Finley | Voice role; episode: "Eye of the Storm" | |
| 2002–2003 | American Dreams | Michael Brooks | Recurring role, 11 episodes |
| 2003–2004 | Run of the House | Kurt Franklin | Main role |
| 2004 | Love Rules! | Michael Warner | Television film |
| 2005 | Bow | Matt | Television film |
| Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber | Ferguson | Television film | |
| 2005–2006 | Half & Half | Brett Mahoney | Recurring role, 9 episodes |
| 2006 | Android Apocalypse | DeeCee | Television film |
| 2007 | CSI: NY | Clay Dobson | 3 episodes |
| 2007–2008 | The Emperor's New School | Dirk Brock | Voice role; 2 episodes |
| 2009 | My Fake Fiancé | Vince | Television film |
| 2010–2015 | Melissa & Joey | Joe Longo | Lead role |
| 2011 | Celebrity Ghost Stories | Self | Episode Jan 1, 2011 |
| The Dog Who Saved Halloween | Zeus | Television film | |
| 2012 | Hitched for the Holidays | Rob Marino | Television film |
| The Dog Who Saved The Holidays | Zeus | Television film | |
| 2013 | Splash | Himself | Co-host |
| 2015 | Celebrity Family Feud | Himself | Episode: "Lawrence vs Lopez" |
| 2016 | Cupcake Wars | Himself | Contestant: runner-up |
| 2017–2019 | Hawaii Five-0 | Aaron Wright | 4 episodes |
| 2018 | A Mother's Worst Fear | Brent | Television film |
| 2019 | Celebrity Big Brother | Himself | Contestant / Houseguest: 9th place[40][41] |
| Dollface | Himself | Episode: "Mystery Brunette" | |
| 2021 | Danger Force | Himself | Episode: "Vidja Games" |
| My Husband's Secret Brother | Kevin | Television film | |
| 2022 | Call Me Kat | Himself | [42] |
| 2022 | The Masked Singer | Himself/Walrus | Season 8 contestant; Episode: "90s Night" |
| 2023 | Love By Design | Hal Hartley | UP TV Movie |
Dancing with the Stars
edit| Week # | Dance / Song | Judges' scores | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Cha-Cha-Cha / "I Like the Way (You Move)" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 2 | Quickstep / "I Got Rhythm" | 9 | 9 | 10 | Safe |
| 3 | Jive / "Blue Suede Shoes" | 8 | 7 | 8 | Safe |
| 4 | Waltz / "Take It to the Limit" | 9 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| 5 | Samba / "Freedom! '90" | 8 | 8 | 9 | Safe |
| 6 | Rumba / "Father Figure" | 8 | 8 | 8 | Bottom two |
| Group Disco / "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" | No scores given | ||||
| 7 | Foxtrot / "Singin' in the Rain" | 10 | 9 | 10 | Safe |
| Mambo / "Mambo No. 5" | 9 | 9 | 10 | ||
| 8 Semi-finals |
Tango / "The Addams Family Theme" | 10 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| Paso Doble / "Sympathy for the Devil" | 9 | 8 | 9 | ||
| 9 Finals |
Quickstep / "42nd Street" | 9 | 10 | 10 | Third place |
| Rumba / "Eternal Flame" | 10 | 10 | 10 | ||
Commercial
edit- VinFast: "Whoa" - VinFast VF8 "Changing Lanes" Campaign (US Debut, August 2023)
- VinFast: "Whoa 2"- VinFast VF8 "Changing Lanes" Campaign (US, December 2023)
Theater
edit- Chicago (2007) as Billy Flynn (replacement)
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [43] |
CAN [44] |
UK [45] | ||
| Joey Lawrence | 74 | 25 | 39 | |
| Soulmates |
|
— | — | — |
Extended plays
edit| Title | Extended play details |
|---|---|
| Imagine |
|
| Guilty |
|
Singles
edit| Year | Title | Peak positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [46] |
AUS [47] |
CAN [48] |
IRE [49] |
UK [50] | |||
| 1993 | "Nothin' My Love Can't Fix" | 19 | 68 | 50 | 22 | 13 | Joey Lawrence |
| "I Can't Help Myself" | — | — | — | — | 27 | ||
| "Stay Forever" | 52 | — | — | — | 41 | ||
| 1997 | "Ven Ven Conmigo" | — | — | — | — | — | Soulmates |
| 1998 | "Never Gonna Change My Mind" | — | — | — | — | 49 | |
| 2011 | "Rolled" | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single |
| "Give It To Ya" (Acoustic) | — | — | — | — | — | Guilty | |
| 2013 | "Our Time" | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single |
| 2017 | "Girl" | — | — | — | — | — | Imagine |
| "Imagine" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Christmas Time" | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
| 2021 | "Turtle" | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Something Special" | — | — | — | — | — | Guilty | |
| "Give It To Ya" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Under the Tree" | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
| 2022 | "Guilty" | — | — | — | — | — | Guilty |
References
edit- ^ "Brotherly Love Podcast: Hollywood Director Asked Matthew Lawrence to do WHAT in His Hotel Room?! Ep 10". April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023 – via YouTube.
- ^ Weckerly, Dan (March 11, 2023). "Yes, Montco Produced Bradley Cooper and Educated Kobe Bryant, But Other Luminaries Hail from Here, Too". MONTCO Today. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
- ^ Gliatto, Tom (March 15, 1993). "A Method to His Doofus". People. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
- ^ "Grown Up Joey Lawrence Kept the 'Y' – Here's Why". PopEater.com. Retrieved November 25, 2011.
- ^ Gostin, Nicki (July 26, 2010). "Grown Up Joey Lawrence Kept the 'Y' — Here's Why". PopEater.com. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
- ^ Radovsky, Vicki Jo (April 23, 1993). "Stonecoldfox". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
- ^ Lipton, Michael A. (June 27, 1994). "Class of '94". People. Vol. 41, no. 24. ISSN 0093-7673.
- ^ "Brotherly Love Podcast: Ep 1: The Lawrence Brothers on Fame and Rumors". YouTube. February 24, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
- ^ "Johnny Carson: Adorable Little Joey Lawrence Wins Over Everyone". YouTube. March 31, 1982. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
- ^ "Joey Lawrence". TVGuide.com. Retrieved June 12, 2010.
- ^ Snierson, Dan (October 16, 2002). "' Whoa' Be Gone". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (May 4, 2007). "Joey Lawrence Joins Broadway's Chicago May 4". playbill.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2010.
- ^ Master of Dance Archived May 30, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, tlc.discovery.com; accessed March 20, 2017.
- ^ Bockelman, Andy (April 1, 2010). "Melissa Joan Hart, Nikki Blonsky Among Stars To Appear In New ABC Family Shows". allheadlinenews.com. Retrieved June 12, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Hart & Lawrence Land New Sitcom". February 2010. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
- ^ "Joey Lawrence – Whoa, I'm a Stripper!". TMZ. May 16, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
- ^ Butler, Karen (November 7, 2022). "Joey Lawrence, Le'Veon Bell get the boot on 'Masked Singer'". UPI. Archived from the original on November 7, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
- ^ VinFast - It's Time To Charge A Different Path, August 21, 2023, retrieved August 30, 2023
- ^ "'Whoa!' EV maker VinFast's U.S. ad debut features Joey Lawrence, and his catchphrase". Automotive News. August 21, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ "'Whoa!' EV maker VinFast's US ad debut features Joey Lawrence, and his catchphrase". Ad Age. August 21, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ "VinFast Unveils the Second Installment of "Changing Lanes" Campaign Starring Actor Joey Lawrence". FOX19. December 18, 2023.
- ^ "Joey Lawrence: Billboard chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved June 12, 2010.
- ^ "ABC Family's Hit Comedy "Melissa & Joey" Returns With All-New Episodes, Premiering Wednesday, June 29 at 8:00 ET/PT". thefutoncritic.com. June 24, 2011. Retrieved July 8, 2011.
- ^ "Give it to ya". PledgeMusic. Archived from the original on October 9, 2011. Retrieved November 25, 2011.
- ^ "Music". Archived from the original on February 5, 2017.
- ^ "How The Lawrence Brothers Are Making A Big Comeback In 2023 (Exclusive)". Toofab.
- ^ a b Jennifer Drysdale (July 18, 2020). "Joey Lawrence Files for Divorce From Wife Chandie After 15 Years of Marriage". MSN.com. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
- ^ Monica Rizzo (November 13, 2006). "Whoa, It's Joey!". People. 66 (20). ISSN 0093-7673. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ^ Sarah Michaud (November 13, 2009). "Joey Lawrence, Wife Expecting Second Daughter". People. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2010.
- ^ Sarah Michaud (March 4, 2010). "Joey Lawrence Welcomes Second Daughter". People. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2010.
- ^ Shannon Walsh (January 21, 2019). "Joey Lawrence Kids & Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
- ^ Dave Quinn (March 9, 2018). "Joey Lawrence files for bankruptcy after accumulating over $355K in liabilities". People. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
- ^ Ryan Naumann (March 9, 2018). "Joey Lawrence Filed for Bankruptcy After Things Got So Bad, He Had to Sell His Clothes". Blast. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
- ^ Ryan Naumann and Daniel Goldblatt (April 9, 2018). "Joey Lawrence's Bankruptcy Case Comes to a Close, Several Creditors Get the Shaft". Blast. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
- ^ Sarah Hearon (April 9, 2018). "Joey Lawrence's Bankruptcy Case Settled, IRS Won't Receive Full Payment". Us Weekly. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
- ^ Ally Mauch; Aili Nahas (August 10, 2021). "Joey Lawrence Is Engaged to Girlfriend Samantha Cope: 'We Are Beyond Excited'". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ^ Nahas, Aili (May 1, 2022). "Joey Lawrence Is Married to Samantha Cope: 'I Am So Thankful!'". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ "Joey Lawrence and Samantha Cope Welcome Baby Girl: 'Overjoyed with Gratitude'". PEOPLE.com. January 20, 2023.
- ^ Flam, Charna. "Joey Lawrence's Estranged Wife Samantha Cope Seeking Full Custody of Their 19-Month-Old Daughter". People. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
- ^ Porreca, Brian (January 13, 2019). "'Celebrity Big Brother' Cast Includes Anthony Scaramucci, Dina Lohan and Ryan Lochte". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
- ^ Ross, Dalton (January 13, 2019). "Anthony Scaramucci among 12 new Celebrity Big Brother houseguests". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
- ^ Schwartz, Ryan (November 15, 2021). "Call Me Kat Staging Blossom Reunion in Season 2 — Watch a Very Meta Promo". TVLine.
- ^ "Joey Lawrence – Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
- ^ "Joey Lawrence: Joey Lawrence". bac-lac.gc.ca. RPM. July 17, 2013.
- ^ "joey-lawrence – full Official Chart History – Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
- ^ "Joey Lawrence – Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
- ^ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending May 1, 1994". ARIA. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0972". RPM. July 17, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Nothin' My Love Can't Fix". Irish Music Charts. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
- ^ "Official Charts > Joey Lawrence". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
External links
edit- Official website
- Joey Lawrence at the Internet Broadway Database
- Joey Lawrence at IMDb
- Joey Lawrence discography at Discogs
