Joe Manganiello has denied Sofia Vergara’s claim that her desire to have children played a factor in her decision to end her seven-year marriage.
A year after the couple announced their split in a joint statement, the True Blood star, 47, broke her silence on what led to their divorce in a candid new interview with Men’s magazine.
“There’s been a lot of talk in the press about me wanting to have a family, but that’s not true,” she told the publication. “We tried to have a family for the first year and a half.”
The Magic Mike actor also revealed that they “had a great conversation early on within the first month” of dating, in which he claims to have told her: “If you don’t want to have kids anymore, then I’ll understand. Just tell me and I’ll know what it’s about, and that’s fine. But that wasn’t the case with her.”
“I swore to him that I would never leave if things didn’t work out. And I didn’t,” Manganiello insisted.
Joe Manganiello denied Sofia Vergara’s claim that her desire to have children influenced her decision to end her seven-year marriage; pictured in 2020
While he hopes to start a family one day, the artist made it clear that disagreements over children “weren’t inevitably the reason it all ended.”
“It’s because two people have grown apart, and sometimes that happens,” he explained.
Manganiello went on to express frustration over Vergara’s previous comments that her “marriage broke down” because her husband “was younger” and “wanted to have kids.”
“To be portrayed as having some sort of midlife crisis and then nine years later going to someone and giving them an ultimatum saying, ‘Do this thing that could be harmful to your body or I’m leaving.’ I was never like that,” Pittsburgh said.
In January 2024, Vergara told the Spanish publication The country that she and Manganiello broke up because he wanted to have children and she didn’t.
“I didn’t want to be an older mother,” she said. “I feel like it’s not fair to the baby. I respect whoever does it, but that’s not for me anymore.”
She continued: “I had a son at 19, who is now 32, and I am ready to be a grandmother, not a mother. So, if love comes, it has to come with (its own) children.”
A year after the couple announced their split in a joint statement, the 47-year-old True Blood star broke his silence on what led to their divorce during a new interview with Men’s Journal; seen in 2019
“There’s been a lot of talk in the press about me wanting to have a family. That’s just not true,” she told the publication. “We tried to have a family for the first year and a half.” (Seen in 2019)
She and Joe announced their divorce last July.
“We have made the difficult decision to divorce. As two people who love and care deeply for each other, we politely ask that our privacy be respected as we navigate this new phase of our lives,” they said in a statement obtained by Page Six.
Just two days after announcing their split, the True Blood actor filed for divorce and set a separation date of July 2.
The reason for the end of their marriage was cited as “irreconcilable differences.”
“There’s been a lot of talk in the press that I wanted to have a family. That’s just not true,” she told the publication. “We tried to have a family for the first year and a half.”
Following their split, Sofia has been busy with her new love interest, Justin Saliman, an orthopedic surgeon.
In late October, she and the doctor were spotted together for the first time on a night out in West Hollywood.
For his part, Joe has moved on with Caitlin O’Connor, who turns 35 on August 3.
Over the weekend, the couple celebrated her birthday early at Toca Madera in West Hollywood.
For his part, Joe has moved on with Caitlin O’Connor, who turns 35 on August 3 (spotted at an early birthday celebration at Toca Madera in West Hollywood).
“Like most Leos, I’ll be celebrating my birthday two weeks early and for the next 4 weeks,” she joked on her Instagram Story.
She shared a sweet snap of them snuggling while her beloved dog, Bubbles, sat on her lap.
A source said People that the couple had a “wonderful” time and that Manganiello “treats her like a queen.”
“They love spending all their time together,” the source added.
The happy couple recently enjoyed a “very romantic trip” to Paris, where they stayed in a hotel with views of the Eiffel Tower.
O’Connor also stayed by his side while he filmed Deal or No Deal Island in Panama and while he traveled to North Carolina in May for One Tree Hill.
