Sofia Vergara admits divorce contributed to 'interesting and very difficult' year

‘Modern Family’ star and Joe Manganiello filed for divorce in July after 7 years of marriage

Sofia Vergara opened up about the personal and professional challenges that she has faced over the past year.

The 51-year-old actress referenced her highly publicized divorce from her husband Joe Maganiello and the SAG-AFTRA strike while reflecting on her experiences in 2023.

“I’ve had a very interesting year,” Vergara told People magazine. “I don’t want to say ‘bad’ or anything like that, but it’s been very interesting and very difficult.”

“I went through a divorce this year, the SAG strike that went on for so long,” the “Modern Family” alum continued.

Sofia Vergara opened up about her “very interesting” and “very difficult” year following her divorce from Joe Manganiello. (Taylor Hill/WireImage))

In July, the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) joined the Writer’s Guild of America in their strike against the studios, streaming services and production companies represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which marked the first time that both unions had been on strike simultaneously in six decades.

Actors were asking for increased minimum pay rates, increased streaming residuals and guarantees from studio and production companies about the use of artificial intelligence.

The SAG-AFTRA strike, which halted film and TV productions and left thousands of people unemployed for months, ended after 118 days in early November.

“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,” Vergara told People.

Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello walk red carpet together at Oscars party

Manganiello filed for divorce from Vergara in July after 7 years of marriage. (Presley Ann)

Despite the difficulties of the past year, Vergara told People that she was optimistic about the future.

“It’s not like it’s bad,” the actress added. “I think all the things are resolving, everything is going to be okay and I’m very excited for next year.”

Shortly after the SAG-AFTRA strike began, Vergara and Manganiello, 46, announced that they were divorcing after 7 years of marriage.

“We have made the difficult decision to divorce,” the two wrote in a joint statement to Page Six at the time. “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.”

The former couple met in 2014 at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which Vergara attended with her then-fiance Nick Loeb. Manganiello and Vergara began dating after her engagement to Loeb ended and they went on to tie the knot in November 2015.

The “Magic Mike” star filed for divorce from the Colombia native on July 19, two days after the split was announced. Vegara responded to her estranged husband’s divorce filing requesting the court uphold the couple’s premarital agreement in documents filed on July 26 and obtained by Fox News Digital. Per the documents, Vergara and Mangniello’s date of separation was listed as July 2.

Both Vergara and Manganiello cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the divorce.

Joe Manganiello in a navy suit and black shirt poses with Sofia Vergara on the carpet

The two tied the knot in during a lavish ceremony in Palm Beach, Florida in 2015. (Robin L Marshall/WireImage/Getty Images)

After the former couple’s split was announced, a source told People magazine that Vergara and Manganiello “always put on a good front publicly,” but weathered through “ups and downs for a long time.”

“They’d be fighting or bickering, but then plaster on smiles when others were looking,” the insider said.

“Their physical attraction to each other only carried their marriage that far,” another source told the outlet.

The source continued, “On a day-to-day basis, there are so many other things that need to work. There were several things that didn’t work.”

Prior to announcing their divorce, the duo had sparked speculation of marital troubles when Vergara celebrated her 51st birthday on July 10 during a girls’ trip to Capri, Italy without Manganiello. Fans also pointed out that the actor’s birthday tribute to his wife was notably less affectionate than in previous years.

In late August, Vergara returned to the judges’ table alongside Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel on “America’s Got Talent.”

During the live show on Aug. 22, Mandel poked fun at Vergara’s newly single status. The comedian’s joke came when he offered a “piece of advice” to a contestant.

“If you’re looking for eligible bachelors, you should’ve talked to Sofía, because she’s in the market right now.” Mandel quipped.