Mireya Acierto/WireImage
Sofia Vergara Is ‘Happier Than Ever’ With New Boyfriend After Joe Manganiello Divorce
Like millions of Americans, Sofía Vergara watched Super Bowl LVIII at a pal’s party. But as seen in pics the Modern Family star, 51, shared on Instagram, the shindig she attended looked particularly epic. In a massive, carpeted tent, there were myriad giant screens, lounge seating, and a snack spread that seemed to go on for miles. Perhaps what got fans talking the most, however, was something — well someone — Sofía brought with her: new beau Justin Saliman.
Sofía posted a photo of herself posing alongside the orthopedic surgeon on February 12 — just three days after it was revealed that her split from Joe Manganiello had been finalized. “Sofía didn’t want a divorce, it broke her heart, but she says that’s life,” an insider exclusively tells Life & Style. “She’s done her best to move on and is bouncing back. Friends say she seems happier than ever, and the secret is her positive and upbeat attitude.”
A lot of that has to do with her hot career. While Sofía has been earning more than $10 million a season as a judge on America’s Got Talent in recent years, it’s the success of her Netflix series, Griselda — about Griselda Blanco, the “Godmother” of Miami’s drug trade in the ’70s and ’80s — that’s really gotten her excited. “Acting is her passion, and the series is what helped her cope with the breakup,” says the insider. “Modern Family was such a career high, and now Griselda has reinvigorated her creative side.”
One of the things that made Sofía’s July split from spouse of seven years Joe, 47, so painful? They still loved each other, but simply desired different things. “My marriage broke up because my husband was younger. He wanted to have kids, and I didn’t want to be an old mom,” Sofía, who has son Manolo Gonzalez, 32, from her first marriage, recently explained. “I’m ready to be a grandmother, not a mother. So if love comes along, he has to come with [his own] children.”
Justin fits that bill. He’s dad to two kids — Stella, 13, and Dean, 11 — with his ex-wife, Grimm star Bree Turner, 46. “He and Sofía were introduced by mutual friends,” spills a source. “Justin impressed her right off the bat by showing up to their first date with flowers and her favorite champagne.” Still, Sofía won’t be rushing into another marriage. “She would like a husband, but she doesn’t need one,” says the insider. “She’s not desperate, and the bottom line is Sofía is back to living her best life.”
