Lori Loughlin Had Dinner with Friend James Tupper Night Before Split News

Lori Loughlin was out on the town with actor and ol' pal James Tupper the night before her separation from Mossimo Giannulli became public.

The "Full House" star and James -- who was previously married to the late actress Anne Heche -- were photographed leaving The Bird Streets Club in West Hollywood on Wednesday night after grabbing dinner together.

James was seen comforting Lori, who appeared upset, as the pair chatted and laughed while slipping out of the exclusive hot spot on the Sunset Strip.

The sighting came just hours before Lori's rep confirmed on Thursday that she and Mossimo are officially separated after 28 years of marriage.

But before you jump to conclusions ... sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ Lori and James are nothing more than longtime friends. The two have worked together on professional projects in the past.

Of course, Lori and her fashion-designer estranged husband made major headlines in 2019 when prosecutors said they paid $500000 to college admissions fixer Rick Singer to get their daughter, Olivia Jade, into USC on a bogus crew scholarship -- even staging photos of her on a rowing machine.