Matthew Lawrence "Didn't Mean To Put Pressure" On Chilli With Baby Talk

His divorce was finalized in September 2022, and by Thanksgiving, Matthew Lawrence was debuting his romance with Rozanda "Chilli" Thomas. It was a match made in 1990s heaven—Lawrence was a teen heartthrob, and Chilli was tearing up the charts with TLC. It's speculated that the pair have been friends for some time but never turned the page on moving forward with a relationship. Lawrence married to Dancing With the Stars double winner Cheryl Burke in 2019 but separated in January 2022.

Lawrence and Chilli's romance has been the talk of pop culture, but he intensified those conversations with comments about having children. In a chat with Entertainment Tonight, Lawrence mentioned that he and his hitmaking girlfriend were looking to expand their family. "That's the game plan. That's what we're trying to do," he previously said. "My life is in complete bloom right now. I get to spend time with an amazing woman like Chilli. I've never gotten to be able to experience that kind of relationship before. She's really, really special."

His remarks about parenthood caused a stir as the public weighed in. Many questioned how the couple would welcome children when Chilli was 52, while others were happy that Lawrence was enthusiastic about family life with the singer. In an updated interview with E! News, the actor clarified his statements. He claimed he was speaking with his brother, Joey Lawrence, about their plan to have families and raise their children together. It was something that came up with in their younger years and revisited now that their lives have shifted.

"I missed the first go around and now he's starting a new family," said Lawrence. "And I was thinking, 'Man, it'd be great if we could do it again, when I didn't have the chance to raise a family together.' So that's what I meant by that. I didn't mean to put any pressure on somebody I was dating or anything." He called Chilli an "amazing mother" to her 25-year-old son Tron who she shares with megaproducer Dallas Austin.

"She's already a mother, she has an incredible son. I respect so much as to how she's raised him. She'd be an incredible mother again, and I'd be incredibly lucky, but that's way in the future."

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