“That’s not for me anymore,” said Sofia Vergara in a candid chat about her marriage with ex-husband Joe Manganiello. During an interview with Spanish newspaper El País, the Modern Family star spilled the beans on what led to her broken marriage. The ex -couple, who has been married for nearly a decade, broke up in July 2023.
When Vergara was asked why her marriage with Manganiello ended, the 51-year-old replied, “Well, I am newly divorced from my second husband, who I was with for 10 years.” While citing the reason, she said, “My marriage broke up because my husband was younger. He wanted to have kids, and I didn’t want to be an old mom,” per PEOPLE.
She explained, “I feel it’s not fair to the baby. I respect whoever does it, but that’s not for me anymore.” Vergara, who was first married to Joe Gonzalez in 1991, welcomed a son, Manolo, with him. However, their marriage also didn’t last, and the duo parted ways within two years in 1993.
The Colombian star continued, “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.” She also stated that her biological clock is ticking, and it is no longer for her to bring another child into the world.
“I’m almost in menopause; it’s the natural way of things,” Vergara clarified. “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.”
The Griselda actress found love in Manganiello, and their personalities complemented each other. The 47-year-old told Haute Living in 2015 what caught his eye when he first met Vergara in 2014, “[We dated for] about six months. When you know, you know, and we knew right away — like, very quickly.”
Meanwhile, Vergara was initially reluctant to date him because she found him too good-looking. “Like, it’s too much work, and I’m older. I’m 43 years old. I don’t want to deal with a guy that every girl is after, you know? But then I gave him a chance. I realized he’s not like a typical handsome guy. He’s not vain. He’s very serious, very straightforward, [and] very easy,” per Entertainment Tonight.
However, despite mutual love and admiration, the duo split and released a joint statement, “We have made the difficult decision to divorce. 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.”
A source previously revealed their different personalities caused a dent in their marriage. “She would rather go out with friends, and he would rather stay home, so they wouldn’t spend a lot of time together,” adding, “They’ve been living separate lives for about a year now, so it was time to call things off.”