Joe Manganiello Debunks Sofía Vergara's Claims For Why Their Marriage Ended

Joe Manganiello has moved on from his divorce from Sofía Vergara but is unwilling to let false narratives slide.

The actor set the record straight on the reason for the breakdown of his marriage to the "Modern Family" star, which is far from what was alleged.

Joe Manganiello officially divorced Sofía Vergara in February, seven years after they tied the knot in an elaborate Palm Beach wedding.

The 47-year-old declared that the pair did not end their union mainly because Vergara did not want children; in fact, the actor disclosed that they tried for a family the first year and a half of their marriage.

The divorce occurred because they grew apart, and "sometimes that happens." Manganiello noted that they had a serious conversation about having kids at the beginning of their relationship in 2014.

"I said, 'If you're done with kids, then I understand. Just tell me, and I'll know what this is, and that's okay. But that wasn't the case with her. And I swore to her that I would never leave if it didn't work out. And I didn't," recalled the "Magic Mike" actor.

In January, his ex-wife pushed the "no kids, no marriage" narrative, claiming they both decided to end the marriage because they were unable to find common ground on the family's future.

Vergara noted that her husband was younger and wanted to have kids, but she did not want to be "an old mom." Manganiello was not comfortable with her claim and clarified in the Men's Journal interview, saying:

"To be painted as if I had some sort of midlife crisis, and after nine years, turned to somebody and gave them an ultimatum of, 'Do this potentially unhealthy thing to your body, or else I'm gone'? That's never who I was."

The news of their split took the world by surprise when they came out to announce it in July 2023 after being together for 9 years and married for 7.

So far, their divorce process has been void of drama. The pair recently finalized the terms and conditions of the marriage termination by asking the court to terminate spousal or partner support.

Since they did not have any kids in the marriage, they had no custody or child support hurdles to cross, and both parties also entered "into a written agreement regarding their property and their marriage or domestic partnership rights, including support."

The Blast reported that the mom of one had turned over all of her financial information to the actor in November after the actress filed a disclosure declaration.

The ex-couple also put a solid prenup in place as soon as they got married to help them navigate issues smoothly in case of a divorce, and this has obviously helped them handle the divorce process amicably.

Vergara's reason for not wanting children in her marriage to Manganiello was not malicious. Instead, she felt it would be unfair to the baby, and while she respects whoever takes the bold step at that age, she does not see it in the works for her.

The "Hot Pursuit" actress is already a mom of one from a previous relationship and was more ready to become a grandmother. The 52-year-old explained:

"I had a son at 19, who is now 32, and I'm ready to be a grandmother, not a mother. 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."

She concluded that when her son becomes a dad, he can bring the baby over to her for a while, and she can decide to give it back to him and go on with her life, as she added, "That's what I have to do."

The "Metal Lords" actor has shut the door of the union behind him and moved in with his new partner, O'Connor, whom he is reportedly head over heels in love with.

Per The Blast, the new lovebirds are both from Pittsburgh and have taken romantic trips together, covering the streets of New York City and the bubbly cities of Italy. 

Manganiello's dog Bubbles has also developed a cordial relationship with his new partner, and things are looking bright on the horizon for the couple, who met for the first time last September at the "Winning Time" after-party.

Manganiello and O'Connor made their relationship debut in December at the New York City Children of Armenia Fund Gala.

Before announcing her divorce, the Colombian-American actress was spotted several times outdoors without her wedding ring, and her ex-husband's birthday wish to her on her 51st birthday also lacked its usual elevated tone.

The award-winning actress is now romantically linked to Justin Saliman, an orthopedic surgeon, and they have been seen enjoying each other's company on date nights over the past few months.

The Emmy-nominated actress has since made their relationship Instagram official as she disclosed on her story back in April that Saliman took care of her after she went in for a quick knee surgery.

Vergara and Manganiello were absolutely couple goals during their union, but their fans will certainly want the best for them as they decide to pursue their dreams separately!