Joe Manganiello and girlfriend Caitlin O’Connor have made their red carpet debut as a couple.
The actor, 46, and O’Connor, 33, stepped out at the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) gala on Saturday, December 9, at New York’s Cipriani 25 Broadway restaurant. The duo posed together on the red carpet, with Manganiello wrapping his arm around O’Connor’s waist.
Manganiello, who was being honored with the COAF Humanitarian Award, looked dapper in a black suit. O’Connor, for her part, stunned in an emerald silk gown with a corset bodice, accessorized with diamond drop earrings and a high pony.
Manganiello and O’Connor were first linked in September when they were spotted leaving a gym in California. They left the fitness center side by side before getting into the same vehicle.
Manganiello’s connection with O’Connor marks his first reported relationship following his divorce from Sofía Vergara. The True Blood alum and Vergara, 51, announced in July that they split after seven years of marriage.
“We have made the difficult decision to divorce,” the now-exes said in a joint statement to Page Six. “As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect of our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives.”
Manganiello filed for divorce two days later, citing “irreconcilable differences” and noting they had a prenuptial agreement in place from their 2015 wedding.
A source exclusively told Us Weekly that Manganiello and the Modern Family alum were “living different lives” and were no longer “on the same page.” The insider added, “She would rather go out with friends and he would rather stay home, so they wouldn’t spend a lot of time together. They’ve been living separate lives for about a year now, so it was time to call things off.”
A second source told Us later that month that Manganiello and Vergara have a few issues to settle in court, including pet custody of dog Bubbles. (Manganiello and Vergara adopted the pup, now 10, shortly after their wedding.)
Vergara has also moved on following her divorce. She’s been linked to Justin Saliman since October.
“Sofía is falling for Justin the more she spends time with him,” a third insider told Us last month. “They have amazing chemistry, and her friends think they make a wonderful couple.”
The source added that Vergara’s friends think she has been “extra happy” since meeting Saliman, 49. “They love that he treats her like a total gentleman and isn’t fazed by her celebrity status,” the insider told Us. “He has his own thing going on and seems to really like her for her.”
