What Is Joey Lawrence's Net Worth?
Joey Lawrence is an American actor, musician, and songwriter who has a net worth of $250,000. Joey Lawrence is best known for his work on the television shows "Gimme A Break!," "Blossom," "Brotherly Love," and "Melissa & Joey." You may have expected Joey to have a larger net worth. Unfortunately, he has experienced some financial adversity in recent years, as we detail in the next paragraph.
Bankruptcy Filing
In March 2018, Joey filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. In the filing, he revealed that he and his wife had three cars repossessed in the past year, a 2014 Bentley, a 2016 BMW i8, and a 2015 Ford Flex. He also reported his monthly income as $7,000 and his monthly expenses as $25,500. The family reportedly has assets worth $43,000 and debts totaling $355,000. We also learned that at the peak of "Melissa & Joey" in 2015, the actor earned $534,000. The following year, Lawrence earned $58,000. In January 2018, Joey sold the rights to his personal LLC at auction for $56,000, which gives the buyer the rights to all his future royalties and residuals.
Early Life
Joey Lawrence was born Joseph Lawrence Mignogna Jr. on April 20, 1976, in Abington, Pennsylvania. His mother worked as an elementary school teacher and then personnel manager, and his father was an insurance broker. He is of Italian, Scottish, and English descent. When he was a child, his parents changed their surname from Mignogna to Lawrence.
Joey has two younger brothers, Matthew Lawrence and Andrew Lawrence, who also work in the entertainment industry. He attended Abington Friends School in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.
Career Beginnings
Joey started acting at a very young age, and his first role was in a Cracker Jack television commercial. When he was only five years old, he appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" and sang "Give My Regards to Broadway." When he was six years old, he appeared in the television movie "Scamps," and had guest-starring roles on the television shows "Diff'rent Strokes" and "Silver Spoons." Lawrence got his breakout role in 1983 when he was cast as Joey Donovan in the NBC sitcom "Gimme A Break!" He joined the show in its third season, and he remained on the series until the series concluded in 1987. He was nominated for Young Artist Awards in 1984 and 1985. While on the sitcom, Joey continued to appear in television movies and on shows. He was featured in the television films "Wait till Your Mother Gets Home!" and "Little Shots," and he had a supporting role in the 1985 family comedy "Summer Rental." In 1988, he had a prominent role in the science-fiction horror film "Pulse" and voiced the leading character in the animated film "Oliver & Company." The next year, Lawrence had a starring role in the television film "Adventures in Babysitting." In 1990, he starred alongside John Travolta in the crime drama film "Chains of Gold" and played the role of a street kid who sold crack for a drug syndicate run by youths.
Lawrence landed his next sitcom role in 1990 with the NBC television show "Blossom," which proved to be a hit for the network. It ran for five seasons, ending in 1995. Again, he appeared in other projects during his time on the sitcom, including the 1994 crime comedy "Radioland Murders," which was co-written by George Lucas, and the 1995 animated Walt Disney film "A Goofy Movie." Also in 1995, he got his next prominent television role in the aptly titled series "Brotherly Love," in which he starred alongside both of his brothers. The show focused on the brothers' relationship, and it ran from 1995 until 1997. He ended the decade with a leading role in the comedy horror film "Tequila Body Shots."
Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images
Post-2000s Career
Lawrence began the new millennium with a role in the horror film "Urban Legends: Final Cut," and he starred alongside Claudia Schiffer and Christine Taylor in the comedy film "Desperate But Not Serious." In 2001, he starred in the thriller "Do You Want To Know A Secret?," and the following year, he appeared in the thriller "Pandora's Box." Joey's work in film as an adult tended to be in comedies or horror movies, and many were panned by critics. He shined on the small screen, and he returned to a consistent television role with the dramedy "American Dreams," which also featured Brittany Murphy. It ran from 2002 to 2005 and won two Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2003, Lawrence was cast in the short-lived television show "Run of the House," which was about a group of siblings living without their parents. Before being cast in another television series, he appeared in the television films "Love Rules," "Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber," and "Bow." He had a recurring guest role in the fourth season of the sitcom "Half & Half" from 2005 to 2006. The remainder of the 2000s were unremarkable, and he sporadically appeared in videos, television movies, and as a guest star on shows.
In 2010, Lawrence was cast alongside Melissa Joan Hart in the ABC Family sitcom "Melissa & Joey." The show was a hit for ABC and enjoyed high ratings until viewership began to decline in its fourth season. It followed local politician Mel Burke and Ponzi Scheme victim Joey as they struggle comedically to raise Burke's niece and nephew. The series wasn't renewed for a fifth season and ended in 2015. The show's opening song was "Stuck with Me," which was performed by Lawrence. He then began a recurring guest role on the show "Hawaii Five-0"
Music Career
Lawrence has always had a passion for music, and he was only 16 when he released his first album "Joey Lawrence." It was commercially successful, with several songs charting, but he did not make music his focal point and prioritized his acting career.
Personal Life
Joey was married to Michelle Vella from 2002 to 2005. He married Chandie Yawn-Nelson in 2005. They had two daughters before filing for divorce in 2020. Interestingly, Joey and Chandie actually met in 1993 at Disney World when he was 16 and on vacation. They had an ice cream date and joked about getting married at the theme park. Fast forward to 2005, and they made that dream come true. Lawrence married actress Samantha Cope in May 2022, and they welcomed daughter Dylan in January 2023.
