Sofía Vergara is looking forward to her next chapter following her divorce from Joe Manganiello.
During an interview on CBS Sunday Morning, Vergara, 51, got candid about ending her marriage admitting that she knew there would be questions as her split played out in the public eye.
“You’re out there and people know that’s part of being a celebrity,” Vergara said on Sunday, January 14. “I knew it was gonna happen. You can’t hide those things.”
While Vergara expected some of the frenzy that followed her divorce news, she was “surprised” by the manner of the coverage. “It wasn’t bad. I think, you know, I have to say the press was very respectful and very nice. … They kind of just said what it was and, and that was it. And, you know, I’ve been moving on.”
In July 2023, Vergara and Manganiello, 47, announced in a joint statement that they called it quits after seven years of marriage. “We have made the difficult decision to divorce,” the pair noted. “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.”
The twosome got engaged in December 2014 after just six months of dating, tying the knot nearly one year later in November 2015.
Manganiello filed for divorce two days after the duo announced their split, citing “irreconcilable differences.” According to court docs obtained by Us Weekly at the time, Manganiello and Vergara had a prenup in place. Vergara later asked the court in an August 2023 filing to enforce the agreement and for assets including artwork, jewelry and “other personal effects” to remain under her ownership.
Vergara has leaned on her friends in the wake of her separation, but she’s also sparked a new romantic connection. In October 2023, she was spotted having dinner in Beverly Hills with orthopedic surgeon Justin Saliman. According to a source, the pair have “gotten fairly close.”
“The attraction is there and he’s definitely her type,” the insider exclusively told Us last fall. “He’s run in similar circles as Sofía for years, so her celebrity status isn’t something that intimidates him whatsoever. … She’s excited to see where things go.”
The twosome have “amazing chemistry,” a second source revealed in November 2023. “Sofía is falling for Justin the more she spends time with him … and her friends think they make a wonderful couple.”
Vergara’s inner circle has noticed that she “seems extra happy” since spending time with Saliman, who “treats her like a total gentleman.”
Like his estranged wife, Manganiello has also moved on. The actor made his red carpet debut with Caitlin O’Connor at a New York City gala in December 2023, three months after they were first linked. They stepped out for another red carpet date night in Los Angeles earlier this month.
“Joe and Caitlin are both so easygoing that they work really well together,” a source exclusively told Us of the budding couple, with a separate insider noting that O’Connor, 33, is not a “high-maintenance” person. “She’s not a big drinker or a party girl.”
A third insider revealed at the time that “marriage isn’t out of the question” for Manganiello, who “definitely wants kids” down the line.
