Sofia Vergara Explains Why ‘Relationships Are Hard’ After Joe Manganiello Split
The actress also admitted that being a mother ‘takes a lot of sacrifices’ while reflecting on the reason why she and Joe divorced.
Sofía Vergara reflected on motherhood, divorce and dating in a new interview. The 51-year-old actress explained why “relationships are hard” for her after splitting from ex-husband Joe Manganiello, noting that “everything” about dating in the public eye can take a serious toll on anyone.
“Because everything gets so exaggerated,” the Griselda star commented during her interview with PEOPLE that was published on Wednesday, May 1. “Everything sometimes gets not interpreted the right way. So, life is already hard. Having relationships is hard. Problems are hard. And then to see it out there and be completely changed, you want to be like, ‘What is going on?’ But you just get used to it. It comes with being famous, so you can’t complain that much.”
Sofía’s marriage to Joe, 47, ended because he wanted children but she didn’t want more, the Modern Family alum previously revealed. Sofía currently shares her son, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, with ex-husband Joe Gonzalez. When asked about her past comment during the new interview, the Netflix star pointed out, “There’s things in life that might sound like good ideas, but they’re not.”
“I was a mother already,” she told the outlet. “I know what it means to be a good mother or to try to be the best mother that you can, and that takes a lot of sacrifices, takes a lot of energy. Nowadays, thanks to science, women can actually have babies older. Before, nature for some reason tells your body at 50 you are in menopause, it’s time for you to be done with that. There is a reason why nature is doing that. But that’s for me, and I totally respect where anyone wants to be a mom after 50.”
Sofía further explained, “I didn’t think because of my career, the way I live my life, the way my marriage was, that it was fair to bring a kid to this world, and I’m not going to be able to give 100 percent.”
Joe and Sofía were married from 2015 until this year, as the exes were declared legally single. They announced their shocking divorce last summer, and the Magic Mike actor moved on with girlfriend Caitlin O’Connor. For Sofía’s part, the New Year’s Eve star has been dating her boyfriend, Justin Saliman, since the end of 2023.
As for what she’s looking for in a relationship, Sofía noted to PEOPLE that she prefers the following qualities: “Health. Money. Fun. With kids.” As for a deal-breaker, the actress said, “No more kids.”