Joe Manganiello Reportedly Divorces Sofia Vergara Because She Didn't Want Children—Was He Being Unreasonable?

Joe Manganiello, popular for his roles in True Blood and Magic Mike XXL, is ending his seven-year marriage with Modern Family actress Sofía Vergara, reportedly due to differences regarding parenthood. This information emerged from a source close to Manganiello, 46, revealing that his desire to become a father has been the crucial factor driving the split.

Joe Manganiello Reportedly Wanted to Divorce Sofia Vergara Because She Didn't Want Children

While it remains unclear where Vergara, 51, initially stood on the subject of having more children when the couple exchanged their vows in November 2015, sources suggest she might have been open to the idea. However, the star's viewpoint appears to have evolved since then, perhaps influenced by a multitude of factors. Vergara is already a mother to her 31-year-old son Manolo, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Joe Gonzalez.

Adding to this complex situation, Vergara found herself in a drawn-out court battle over two frozen embryos from her 2013 IVF treatments with then-fiancé Nick Loeb, who intended to bring them to term. Although the court decided in Vergara's favor in March 2021, this emotionally charged experience may have impacted her views on expanding her family further.

This discrepancy over having children is reportedly the primary cause of the separation. The "irreconcilable differences" cited by Manganiello in his divorce petition, filed on Wednesday, are believed to be rooted in this fundamental disagreement. It is also important to note that despite rumors speculating that Manganiello's long-standing sobriety may have put a strain on the marriage, the source close to the actor insists this is not the case.

In addition, insiders have refuted any speculation of infidelity or interest in others as a contributing factor to their decision to part ways. The couple, who have always maintained a united front in public, had been widely regarded as one of Hollywood's most beautiful duos.

The news of the high-profile couple's divorce first broke on Monday. "We have made the difficult decision to divorce," they announced in a joint statement, requesting respect for their privacy as they transition into this new phase of their lives. Many suspect the two signed a prenuptial agreement, so the divorce will likely be short and sweet.

People React to Joe Manganiello and Sofia Vergara's Divorce

Their breakup has gone viral and many people have offered their thoughts on the matter. Their age first comes into question; Vergara was in her mid-40s when she wed Manganiello, who was 39. You'd think they discussed the idea of having children before they tied the knot, and even if they did, wouldn't they consider their age? It's not exactly common for women to have children in their mid to late 40s, even if they freeze their eggs, do IVF (in vitro fertilization), etc. If having children was really important for Manganiello, they probably would have tried very early on in their marriage when there was a greater chance of Vergara getting pregnant or freezing her eggs. Or he would have decided to marry someone much younger who could have given him plenty of children.

Many people online are commenting at how silly Manganiello was for marrying a woman in her mid-40s if he really wanted children, but there was also some commentary that make Manganiello out to be some kind of villain. Various feminists and progressive activists accused him of being demanding and asking too much of Vergara.

"She’s 51 with a 31-year old son and they had been together 7 years so imagine thinking a beautiful and wealthy 44-year old woman with a 24-year old son is gonna start all over again and have more kids for you? lol Men have all the audacity," @HarlemMC tweeted.

"So glad more women are prioritizing their needs in relationships/marriages. She would’ve been a clown to start all over again, espcially [sic] given the opportunity costs for her career," she added. "Sofia said 'I’m beautiful, rich and already did that. Get someone else to do it for you' and I love that for her."

While it's perfectly fine to wonder why Manganiello would seriously consider his desire for children before marrying a woman in her mid-40s, it's another thing entirely to make him out to be some kind of villain because he wanted to have children with his wife. Feminists simply must find a way to make the husband the bad guy, though, especially if he wants to become a father.

There's another narrative that calls Manganiello an idiot for expecting Vergara to have children at her age. But we sometimes forget that celebrities live in a different world than we do, and things like embryo freezing and surrogacy are completely normal to the average Hollywood couple. Perhaps the two had agreed to opt in for some kind of medical intervention to make it easier to conceive at their age, and maybe Vergara changed her mind. We'll never know what really took place in their marriage, but it's a little too soon to claim that Manganiello was the bad guy here.

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