Sofia Vergara Reportedly Felt ‘Suffocated’ By Ex Joe Manganiello

Following news of her divorce from husband Joe Manganiello, actress Sofía Vergara is reportedly back in Los Angeles after vacationing in Italy. A source close to the former couple has said that things are looking up for the Modern Family star post-break up.

“Sofia’s living her best life,” stated the insider to Page Six. “She’s spending time with her friends after being stifled in a relationship with a largely unsupportive partner. Sofía was always there to take care of Joe, while his career was never what it was when they met. I think he’s been threatened by her success and joie de vivre.”

The official date of their separation is listed as July 2 of this year, but they have supposedly been living separately for quite a while. There’s been a lot of speculation as to why they decided to end their marriage, but another mutual friend stated that they generally respect one another and have simply become incompatible.

The friend said their marriage survived on “physical chemistry, though also a lot of loyalty and respect. Neither of them cheated. They very much did their own thing for large stretches of time and were frequently apart, but they were always able to still feel that passion for each other when they saw each other, but that flame has now gone out.”

They continued, “Sofía seems to be doing absolutely fine — she has all the time and the money in the world to do whatever she wants next… Joe seems a little more dejected but also resolute in knowing this was the right way to go. A lot of friends expect that he will ultimately move on to someone far younger and will start a family; he’s always wanted kids, and that clearly wasn’t going to happen with Sofía.”

The news of the divorce broke as Vergara celebrated her 51st birthday in Capri with friends. They then shared a joint statement reading:

“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.”

Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com. Her writing has appeared in Jezebel, Glamour, Marie Claire and more. Her first book, The Lonely Hunter, will be released by Dial Press in February 2022.