The 'Griselda' actress is opening up about her divorce from actor Joe Manganiello
Howie Mandel shares Sofia Vergara's reaction to his joke about her relationship status
On the 'America's Got Talent' red carpet, Howie Mandel told Fox News Digital that his joke about Sofia Vergara's single status came at the right time, and shared how the former 'Modern Family' star reacted.
Sofia Vergara is honest about how she processed her high-profile divorce from actor Joe Manganiello, revealing that the experience was in some ways predictable, but also, surprising.
Of the public's interest, Vergara said it was par for the course. "You're out there. People know. That's part of being a celebrity. I knew it was going to happen. You can't hide those things," she shared on "CBS News Sunday Morning."
Elaborating on how she handled that kind of attention, Vergara admitted, "It wasn't bad."
SOFIA VERGARA REBOUNDS FROM JOE MANGANIELLO WITH BEVERLY HILLS SURGEON
Sofia Vergara opened up about her divorce from actor Joe Manganiello. The couple was married for seven years. (Carlos Alvarez/WireImage/Getty Imagaes)
"I have to say the press was very respectful and very nice," she added. "I thought they were gonna invent more things, you know how it usually is. And I was surprised," she said. "They kind of like just said what it was and that was it."
But it would be remiss of Vergara to not acknowledge the gravity of her situation. "I’ve had a very interesting year," Vergara told People magazine in November 2023. "I don’t want to say ‘bad’ or anything like that, but it’s been very interesting and very difficult."
Sofia Vergara previously shared that her 2023 had been "very difficult." (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
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"I went through a divorce this year, the SAG strike that went on for so long," she noted. "I’ve seen my friends struggle – some had to take their kids out of their schools or had problems with their mortgages, so it’s been a weird, weird year."
"It’s not like it’s bad," she clarified. "I think all the things are resolving, everything is going to be OK and I’m very excited for next year."
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Sofia Vergara's new show "Griselda" premieres on Jan. 25. (Jemal Countess/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)
With her new show "Griselda" on the horizon, premiering in late January on Netflix, the "Modern Family" star also might have a new love connection. She has been spotted with orthopedic surgeon Justin Saliman on several occasions since her breakup with Manganiello. Vergara alluded to this in her interview with CBS, telling the program, "I've been moving on."
Both Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello listed "irreconcilable differences" as their basis for divorce in papers obtained by Fox News Digital. (Presley Ann/Getty Images)
Manganiello initially filed for divorce from Vergara, 51, in July after seven years of marriage. According to documents obtained by Fox News Digital, a date of separation was noted as July 2. Both actors cited "irreconcilable differences" as grounds for the split.
"We have made the difficult decision to divorce," the couple said in a statement shared with Page Six. "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."
In August, Vergara asked the courts that the couple's prenuptial agreement be honored.
Caroline Thayer is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. Follow Caroline Thayer on Twitter at @carolinejthayer. Story tips can be sent to
