Former Modern Family actress Sofía Vergara has decided to open up for the very first time about her surprising divorce from Joe Manganiello.
The pair were married for more than seven years when they decided to call it quits in July 2023. The Colombian bombshell was blunt and honest while explaining why she and Joe Manganiello went their separate ways — he wanted a child, and she was done with this motherhood thing.
Vergara, who is the mother of 32-year-old Manolo Gonzalez, explained that she has raised her only child and is now looking forward to becoming a grandmother, not a mother.
The 51-year-old stated in the Spanish newspaper El País: “Well, I’m newly divorced from my second husband, who I was with for 10 years. My marriage broke up because my husband was younger. He wanted to have kids, and I didn’t want to be an old mom.”
She went on to say: “I feel it’s not fair to the baby. I respect whoever does it, but that’s not for me anymore. I had a son at 19, who is now 32, and I’m ready to be a grandmother, not a mother.”
She also confessed that Mother Nature or time played a part in her decision because she was in perimenopause. She stated: “So, if love comes along, he has to come with [his own] children. I’m almost in menopause; it’s the natural way of things. When my son becomes a dad, let him bring the baby to me for a while, and then I’ll give it back to him and go on with my life. That’s what I have to do.”
In the summer of 2023, the power couple announced their separation via a statement to PEOPLE that said: “As two people who love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect for our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives.”
While she has closed the chapter on motherhood, she kept the book of love wide open. Vergara is currently dating orthopedic surgeon Justin Saliman.
The pair has been seen on several dates in Hollywood, and a source told PEOPLE: “She is enjoying life. She seems positive and full of energy. Sofia has been handling the divorce well. It wasn’t an easy decision, but she is doing great now.”
Joe Manganiello is now “casually dating” actress Caitlin O’Connor. According to TMZ, the actor is “now getting to know the 33-year-old actress, but they aren’t official.”
Fans are happy that the two stars are moving on.
