Who Was Sofia Vergara’s First Husband?

Getty Sofia Vergara was previously married to her high school sweetheart Joe Gonzalez before marrying Joe Manganiello in 2015.

America’s Got Talent” host Sofia Vergara is one of Hollywood’s most beloved (and best-paid) stars. She’s married to the actor Joe Manganiello, best known for “True Blood” and “Magic Mike.”

But did you know that Vergara was married to another Joe first? The actress said “I do” to her high school sweetheart Joe Gonzalez when she was just 18 years old. Vergara and Gonzalez have a 29-year-old son named Manolo who was born in Barranquilla, Colombia. Manolo is a model, actor, and director.

Vergara was married to her first husband for just a few short years, divorcing in 1993 when their son was 2 years old. In 2011, Vergara talked to Parade about her relationship with Gonzalez. “We’re still close friends,” the actress said, adding that her ex-husband even stays with her when he visits the United States.

Although Gonzalez is still involved in his son’s life, Vergara did much of the parenting herself and she’s proud of that. “Now that I look back, I never really needed the help of anyone,” she told Harper’s Bazaar in 2016. “It does feel great to look back and know I’ve done it all myself. It’s rewarding.”

Vergara Also Broke off an Engagement

After Joe Gonzalez and before Joe Manganiello, Vergara was engaged to actor and director, Nick Loeb. Vergara and Loeb ended their engagement in 2014. The Los Angeles Times reported that Vergara addressed the split on her no-longer-existent WhoSay page.

“Not that anyone should care, but in order to not give the press the chance to invent crazy and hurtful drama, I prefer to tell my fans personally that Nick and I have decided to be apart,” the actress wrote.

She added that “we have been having too many problems with figuring out how to spend time together and because of my work and now his, it’s been getting worse and worse, not fun anymore.”

Loeb and Vergara Had a Legal Battle Over Frozen Embryos

Although Vergara and Loeb broke it off in 2014, they were still enmeshed in a legal battle until earlier this year. NBC Los Angeles reported that on January 28, 2021, the Los Angeles Superior Court ruled to uphold an earlier contract that states neither Vergara nor Loeb is authorized to use pre-frozen embryos they created together without the written consent of the other person.

The decision was the result of a lengthy legal battle in which Loeb claimed that Vergara verbally authorized him to implant the embryos in a surrogate. Loeb also alleged that he only signed the initial contract (which stated that he needed Vergara’s written consent to bring the embryos to term) because she bullied him into it.

Loeb appeared on The Today Show in 2015 to discuss the case. Loeb told host Hoda Kotb that although he signed legal papers,” none of the forms really discussed what would happen in the event of a separation.”

In an op-ed written for The New York Times titled “Our Frozen Embryos Have a Right to Live”, Loeb argued that the issue at hand was the sanctity of life. “When we create embryos for the purpose of life, should we not define them as life, rather than as property? Does one person’s desire to avoid biological parenthood (free of any legal obligations) outweigh another’s religious beliefs in the sanctity of life and the desire to be a parent,” Loeb wrote.

In a statement obtained by People magazine, Loeb said “it’s a shame that Sofia, a devout Catholic, would intentionally create babies just to kill them.” Loeb co-wrote and directed a 2020 film called “Roe v. Wade” which explores the landmark 1973 Supreme Court case of the same name. Variety called the film, an “atrocious anti-abortion propaganda piece.” In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Loeb said “what I tried to do in the movie as a director is really showcase both sides.”

The New Season of ‘America’s Got Talent’ Premieres Tonight

Catch Sofia Vergara on the season 16 premiere of “America’s Got Talent“, June 1 at 8 pm ET on NBC.

Vergara will judge contestants alongside Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, and Terry Crews.

READ NEXT: ‘The Good Witch’ Star Catherine Bell Got Divorced After 17 Years