Two years after finalizing his divorce from Sofia Vergara, Joe Manganiello announced his engagement to actress Caitlin O'Connor. While the actor and Sofia had a four-year age difference, with the Modern Family star being slightly older than him, Caitlin is 13 years younger than him.
While the pair are yet to tie the knot, HELLO! takes a closer look at their relationship following his split from Sofia. Joe and Caitlin were first romantically connected in September 2023, following his divorce from Sofia in July of that year.
The former couple, who tied the knot in 2015, first confirmed their divorce in a statement to Page Six back in July 2023, which read: "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."
© GettyJoe and Caitlin made their red carpet debut at the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) Gala in New York City in December 2023. She wore an emerald-green silk gown that featured a corseted bodice and mini train while he looked suave in a black silk suit layered over a gray shirt.
Less than two years later, Joe quietly proposed and confirmed the news at the San Diego Film Festival in October. The couple later took to social media to reveal the spectacular engagement ring. "June 24th, 2025," Caitlin captioned the selfie.
© Getty ImagesJoe and Sofia's divorce
In July 2024, Joe responded to claims from the actress that they divorced because Joe was younger and he wanted to have kids where she didn't, calling them "simply not true".
"There's been a lot said in the press about me wanting a family", he said to Men's Journal. "That's simply not true."
He explained: "We did try to have a family for the first year and a half, and we had a huge conversation right out of the gate during the first month we dated. I said, 'If you're done with kids, then I understand. Just tell me, and I'll know what this is, and that's OK.'"
© Getty"But that wasn’t the case with her", he continued. "And I swore to her that I would never leave if it didn't work out. And I didn't."
While Joe confirmed that he did want to have children, he revealed that it wasn't "inevitably why everything ended", explaining: "It's because two people grew apart, and sometimes that happens."
He continued: "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."
Sofia has told Spanish newspaper El País that Joe wanted to have children with her, but she didn't share the same desire. "My marriage broke up because my husband was younger; he wanted to have kids and I didn’t want to be an old mom," she said. "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."
