Joey Lawrence ‘Very Grateful’ Family Kept Him From Dark Side of Fame
By Movieguide® Contributor
Former child star Joey Lawrence credits his “close” family relationships for keeping him away from the darker sides of fame.
“So certainly in our industry — in the ‘80s and ‘90s, especially — a lot of stuff went down that was not OK,” the actor said in a recent interview. “You see a lot of these people talking about it today.”
Lawrence said he was “very lucky” that his parents were “always around.”
“My parents were with me the whole time, so there were moments, and they were averted because my parents were right there,” he explained.
Lawrence continued, “I was very close with my family. We went everywhere together, and I had that support system. And it was sort of this impervious wall surrounding me at those very vulnerable moments, you know? I’m very grateful for that.”
Today, Lawrence is still successfully acting and serving as a co-host on the “Brotherly Love” podcast, which he makes alongside his brothers, Andrew and Matthew.
“The blessing of life is that you get to live it every day,” he told Fox News. “I’m just doing the best I can every day. I’m very thankful for all the things that I have and to wake up every day and continue to live life for the people that I love around me.”
Lawrence also shared the type of roles he’s interested in pursuing: “I’d love to be in a DIE HARD one day or be able to, you know, get my feet wet, sort of in a more physical type role.”
He’s also a dad to three daughters. Lawrence shares Charleston, 17, and Liberty, 13, with ex-wife Chandie Yawn-Nelson, and Dylan, 1, with his wife, Samantha Cope.
“No words will ever be able to describe what I feel inside when I look at my daughters,” Lawrence wrote in a 2023 Instagram post. “Perfection comes to mind but that doesn’t even do it justice. I am such a blessed man. The gift of fatherhood is the greatest gift of all and I am just so incredibly grateful.”
Movieguide® previously reported on Lawrence’s efforts to protect his daughters from social media:
“I think it’s the first time in history where things are fundamentally different to the way they were when we were growing up,” he said. “In the ’80s and ’90s you had your answering machine, your Walkman, which was a little different to your parents. But now you have social media, the internet, and it’s changed everything. That made the world smaller. It’s the whole world you have to worry about now.”
He explained that social media has resulted in new kinds of bullying that wouldn’t have been possible several decades ago.
“Everybody’s got a platform and you can bully from near or far,” Lawrence said. “It’s very tough to navigate as a young person through these times. Everyone wants to be glorified. Fame feels accessible to everybody. And they’re presenting this life that doesn’t really exist.”
“All these insecurities and everything that young people go through as they’re developing? I just try to give them perspective every chance I get to talk them through it. I don’t mind being a helicopter parent, as annoying as that is. You have to be really consistent and beat that consistent drum and hope that most of what you say somehow gets absorbed into their brains,” he added.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
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Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
