Joe Manganiello is responding after Sofía Vergara reposted a message about “narcissistic men,” days after excerpts from his memoir brought painful allegations about their marriage into public view.
The post originated with Vergara’s son, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara. Neither he nor his mother named Manganiello, although its appearance amid coverage of Bloodlines prompted speculation that it referred to the actor.
During an Oct. 12 appearance on CBS Mornings, Gayle King asked Manganiello about that interpretation. The interview came one day before the book’s release, as he publicly discussed a health crisis he had kept largely private for years.
Manganiello and Vergara married in 2015, announced their separation in July 2023 and divorced in 2024. His account of their relationship now includes both accusations of emotional distance and acknowledgment of a decision he says saved his life.
Manganiello Tells Critics to ‘Read the Book First’
King put the apparent suggestion to him directly, asking how he would answer the idea that someone could acknowledge his suffering while still describing him as narcissistic.
“Well, I think anybody who said that should read the book first,” Manganiello replied, according to People. He described the memoir as a story about suffering, survival and hope.
Manolo’s Instagram Story included a chart comparing “good men” with “narcissistic men.” His accompanying message warned that a narcissist could resent someone’s help, remain dissatisfied and ultimately portray the person helping him as the villain.
Vergara shared the Story with an applause emoji. The post offered no specific account of an incident or disagreement between her and Manganiello.
He Credits Vergara With Authorizing Lifesaving Surgery
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In Bloodlines, Manganiello recounts seven years of illness involving severe pain, repeated medical appointments and treatments that failed to provide lasting answers. He writes that his symptoms began shortly after the wedding.
His condition led to emergency intestinal surgery in 2016. During the CBS interview, he said doctors contacted Vergara while he was unconscious and presented her with options. He credited her with choosing the procedure that kept him alive.
The operation gave him more time, he explained, but doctors still could not resolve the underlying problem. He also acknowledged that years of illness affected Vergara and other people close to him.
Elsewhere in the memoir, Manganiello alleges that his marriage became emotionally distant. As People reported, he claims Vergara refused to hug him and ridiculed his attachment to his Chihuahua, Bubbles, whom he adopted during a particularly difficult period.
Those allegations reflect Manganiello’s account. In its Oct. 8 report, People said Vergara’s representatives had not responded to a request for comment.
Their Disagreement About Having Children Predates the Memoir
Vergara offered a different explanation for the breakup in a January 2024 interview with El País. She said Manganiello wanted children while she felt finished with that stage of motherhood, having raised Manolo after becoming a mother at 19.
Manganiello challenged that explanation months later. Speaking to Men’s Journal in July 2024, he said they had tried to start a family early in their marriage and that he had promised not to leave if those efforts failed.
“It’s because two people grew apart, and sometimes that happens,” he said.
His memoir adds an account of how his health changed those plans. Manganiello says unsuccessful IVF attempts led them to consider egg donors, but he eventually abandoned the idea of fatherhood because he feared dying and leaving Vergara to raise a child alone.
Manganiello Says Fatherhood Is a Possibility Again
Manganiello now says he is symptom-free and no longer taking medication. He is engaged to Caitlin O’Connor, and the couple have discussed a future that could include children.
He left that possibility open in his People interview, saying, “If that’s meant for me.”