Everything Sofía Vergara Revealed About Their Split, Joe Manganiello Said It’s “Simply Not True”

“I swore to her that I would never leave if it didn't work out. And I didn't.”

A year following his separation from Sofía Vergara, Joe Manganiello has now shared his perspective on the matter. On July 17, 2023, it was announced that Joe and Sofía Vergara had decided to part ways, with the divorce proceedings initiated two days subsequent to this announcement. The divorce was formally filed on July 19, 2023, marking seven years of their marriage. While the official documents attributed the dissolution of their marriage to "irreconcilable differences," there have been whispers among insiders suggesting that the primary cause of their separation was a divergence in their views regarding parenthood.

Photo byCindy Ord / Getty Images for Vanity Fair

For context, Sofía is already the mother of a 32-year-old son, Manolo, at the time of their dissolution. Initial reports suggested that Joe, who is five years Sofía's junior, harbored a desire to start a family, yet Sofía expressed a lack of interest in expanding her family.

A few months later, Sofía addressed the matter, affirming the accuracy of the reports. "My marriage ended due to the age difference; my husband was eager to have children, whereas I was not inclined towards motherhood at that stage of life," she shared with El País in January.

"I respect the decision of others to become mothers later in life, but that path was not for me," she further explained. "I had a son at the age of 19, who is now 32, and I am content with the prospect of becoming a grandmother rather than a mother."

Subsequently, Sofía reiterated her stance, stating that she believed it would not have been "just" for her to become a mother, given the "sacrifices" and "effort" required to be an effective parent.

"I did not believe that, considering my career, lifestyle, and the state of my marriage, it would have been fair to bring a child into the world, and I am not prepared to dedicate 100% to parenting," she shared with People in May, discussing the dissolution of their relationship.

"Nature, in its own mysterious way, signals that at the age of 50, one enters menopause, marking the end of that phase of life," she added. "There is a natural reason behind this, and it is a personal decision for me. I fully respect the choices of those who choose to become mothers later in life."

However, Joe contests Sofía's account, claiming that her version of events is "simply not true."

"We attempted to start a family for the first year and a half," Joe stated in a recent interview with Men's Journal, addressing the various publications that have reported on his desire to have children.

"From the outset of our relationship, we had a significant conversation during the first month, where I expressed my readiness to understand if she was done with motherhood, and I assured her that I would remain committed if she chose to continue," he recalled. "And I did not leave her."

Joe further explained that the marriage ended due to a natural progression of two individuals growing apart, a common occurrence in relationships. He also expressed frustration with how Sofía's narrative might have led others to perceive his character negatively.

"To be portrayed as someone who had a sudden change of heart after nine years, deciding to pursue a potentially risky path for the sake of a child, is not who I am," he stated.

In the year since their split, both exes have moved on with new partners. Sofía is dating orthopedic surgeon Justin Saliman, while Joe is with Caitlin O'Connor.

Photo byMatt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images

During his conversation with Men’s Journal, Joe didn't directly talk about his recent relationship, but he did express that he's generally happy with his current situation. "When things go wrong, it's always nice to have a supportive partner in life," he mentioned.

Photo byPhillip Faraone / Getty Images for The Art of Elysium

You can find Joe’s full interview here.

Sources:

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