A match made in ‘90s heaven. Matthew Lawrence is officially dating Chilli following his divorce from Cheryl Burke.
The Boy Meets World alum and the TLC singer, whose real name is Rozonda Thomas, started seeing each other romantically in November 2022, three months after her rep told Us Weekly that they were “just friends” when they stepped out together in Hawaii. By the New Year, the twosome were “in love.”
“I’ve been with Chilli since 2005 and I’ve never seen her this in love,” Christal Jordan told People in January 2023. “She is glowing. They are really cute together.”
The actor’s relationship with the “No Scrubs” musician comes after Burke announced her split from Lawrence in February 2022. Their divorce documents stated their date of separation as January 7, 2022.
“I know I have always said I’m an open book with you guys, I do strive to be, and in writing this I’ve realized there really isn’t an easy way to announce that my marriage is ending,” the Dancing With the Stars pro said in a statement at the time. “I hope you can understand that I will not be commenting any further at this time and am asking for understanding and privacy. Thank you all for all the kind words and support you’ve given me.”
Burke, who cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the breakup, later alleged that Lawrence was being “cruel” by forcing them to go to trial over custody of their dog, Ysabella.
“We have to go to trial — unless he all of a sudden calls it off — but that will happen in January [2023]. … I am still really hurt by the whole situation because that is my dog. Ysabella is my daughter; I am a dog mom,” she said on her “Burke in the Game” podcast in October 2022, the same month the former spouses finalized their divorce. “I couldn’t even imagine my life without her. I could just cry right now.”
As Lawrence and Chilli went Instagram official on New Year’s Eve 2022, Burke gave her followers an update on how she was coping following the tough year.
“I made it through the year that did everything it could to try and break me, and there were a lot of moments where I thought I would break, but here I AM,” the dancer wrote on December 31. “2022 was a year filled with the most ups, downs & heartbreak (if I’m being honest) that I have ever experienced, but I wouldn’t be who or where I am today without those life experiences … I’m eager to move forward, to no longer be defined by my past, and SO ready to start the next chapter of my life. 2023, LET’S SHOW ‘EM HOW IT’S DONE!”
Scroll through for Chilli and Lawrence’s relationship timeline:
