Joe Manganiello refutes Sofia Vergara's claims about divorce

Joe Manganiello has responded to ex-wife Sofia Vergara's statements regarding their divorce, denying her claim that his desire for children was the cause. In a recent interview with Men's Journal, Manganiello stated, "There's been a lot said in the press about me wanting a family. That's simply not true." This counters Vergara's earlier comments in an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais, where she cited Manganiello's desire for children as a reason for their split, saying, "My marriage broke up because my husband was younger, he wanted to have kids and I didn't want to be an old mom."

Manganiello provided additional context, revealing they had attempted to start a family during the first year and a half of their marriage. He recalled a significant conversation early in their relationship, "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." Despite their efforts, he emphasized that their separation was not due to the issue of children but rather because "two people grew apart, and sometimes that happens."

Manganiello also addressed misconceptions about his character, stating, "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 couple, who married in November 2015 in Palm Beach, Florida, divorced in July of the previous year after seven years of marriage. They announced their decision to divorce through a statement to Page Six, expressing mutual respect and a request for privacy: "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."