Joe Manganiello is revealing the extent of a health crisis he says shaped seven years of his life and placed enormous strain on his marriage to Sofia Vergara. The actor discusses the experience in his new memoir Bloodlines and in interviews ahead of the book’s Oct. 13 release.
Manganiello says he developed severe symptoms after marrying Vergara in 2015, including abdominal pain, fevers, rashes, fatigue and serious digestive problems. He says doctors never gave him a conclusive diagnosis, though his condition was treated as a mysterious autoimmune illness.
A prolonged medical ordeal
According to Manganiello, his condition became so serious that he underwent emergency surgery in 2016 and had part of his intestines removed. He has said he lost significant weight and spent years trying different medical treatments while fearing his health could deteriorate further.
In discussing the experience, Manganiello has also described a severe mental-health toll. His account is his personal recollection of an extraordinarily difficult period rather than a medical explanation for autoimmune disease generally.
How the illness affected his marriage
Manganiello writes that the years of illness changed the emotional dynamic of his marriage to Vergara. He has connected the health battle with the distance that developed between them and with uncertainty around their family plans.
The couple married in 2015 and announced their separation in 2023. Their divorce was finalized the following year. Manganiello is now engaged to Caitlin O’Connor and has said he feels hopeful about the future, including the possibility of becoming a father.
Feeling healthy again
Manganiello says he is now medication-free and feels healthy. He has credited a range of experiences during his recovery, including alternative spiritual practices, while emphasizing how dramatically his outlook changed after years of expecting another medical crisis.
His memoir presents the illness as one part of a wider story involving career, relationships and family history. The actor says sharing it now allows him to address a chapter of his life that was largely hidden from the public while it was happening.
Sources: PEOPLE, Los Angeles Times and E! News reporting on Manganiello’s memoir and interviews.