Sofia Vergara didn’t have baby with ex Joe Manganiello because it wasn’t ‘fair’
Sofia Vergara is speaking out about her decision to not have a child with ex-husband Joe Manganiello.
In a new interview with People, the "Modern Family" star explained why the timing was never quite right for the couple to pursue parenthood together.
"There’s things in life that might sound like good ideas, but they’re not. I was a mother already. I know what it means to be a good mother or to try to be the best mother that you can, and that takes a lot of sacrifices, takes a lot of energy," Vergara said.
She continued, "Nowadays, thanks to science, women can actually have babies older. Before, nature, for some reason, tells your body at 50 you are in menopause, it’s time for you to be done with that. There is a reason why nature is doing that."
SOFIA VERGARA ADMITS DIVORCE CONTRIBUTED TO 'INTERESTING AND VERY DIFFICULT' YEAR
"But that’s for me, and I totally respect where anyone wants to be a mom after 50," the 51-year-old added. "I didn’t think because of my career, the way I live my life, the way my marriage was, that it was fair to bring a kid to this world, and I’m not going to be able to give 100%."
Vergara had her first and only child, Manolo, in 1991 at age 19 with her first husband, Joe Gonzalez. The couple split two years later.
She went on to marry the "True Blood" star in 2015, and the couple were together until July 2023, when they announced their divorce. The split was finalized last month.
In January, Vergara initially revealed their disagreement over having children led to the divorce.
"I’m newly divorced from my second husband [actor Joe Manganiello], who I was with for 10 years. My marriage broke up because my husband was younger," she told Spanish newspaper El País at the time.
"He wanted to have kids, and I didn’t want to be an old mom. I feel it’s not fair to the baby. I respect whoever does it, but that’s not for me anymore."
Vergara continued to explain that she had her son young and that she was ready to be a "grandmother, not a mother."
"I’m almost in menopause; it’s the natural way of things. When my son becomes a dad, let him bring the baby to me for a while, and then I’ll give it back to him and go on with my life; that’s what I have to do."
In her People interview, Vergara opened up about the bond she shares with her son, now 32.
"It is great that I had him young, because now I’m going to be 52, and he’s 32," she said.
The "Griselda" star admitted that "I wish I was older sometimes, because I would’ve been more mature, more prepared to be a mother, but that was what I got and what happened. So, I just kept going and try not to look back at it, because it is what it is. But it is fun because I kind of grew up together with my son."
She’s also looking forward to being a grandmother whenever Manolo has children, telling the outlet, "I think I’ll be a fun grandmother."
"I already kind of like what he does with me," Vergara said. "Manolo has a dog, and on the weekends he just drops the dog at my house. And I used to drop him at my mom’s house during the weekend so that I could at least go out every once in a while.
Vergara also said in ther interview that she is interested in dating again but reiterated her one deal-breaker: "No more kids."