Copyright Atlanta Black Star

The 2023 split between Sofía Vergara and “Magic Mike” star Joe Manganiello shocked many who viewed them as one of the hottest-looking couples in Hollywood. Sofia now appears to be enjoying the single life, gallivanting around the world between movie or show gigs, whereas Manganiello has found his new soul mate — or maybe not. Just months after his split with Vergara, Manganiello was seen cozying up in a hot tub with the woman he’d later propose to. ‘Do We Really Want to See a 50+ Year Old …’: Sofía Vergara’s Birthday Suit Thirst Trap Has Fans Saying ‘Still One of the Baddest Ever’ as Critics Zoom In Paparazzi recently captured pictures of the 34-year-old entertainer and his new fiancée, Caitlin O’Connor, as they took a stroll with their dog, Bubbles, in Los Angeles, according to Daily Mail’s Oct. 21 article. O’Connor — best known for her role on HBO’s “Winning Time” — was photographed in casual athleisure attire: leggings, sneakers, and a cropped tank. Manganiello matched her laid-back look in a long-sleeved T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers. After two years of dating, Manganiello confirmed their engagement on Instagram on Oct. 17 with a photo of O’Connor flashing her ring while looking blissfully in love. The caption, “June 24th, 2025,” suggested the actual date he proposed. As the candid pictures circulated on social media, the absence of O’Connor’s ring was enough to raise eyebrows, especially since the couple had only just gone public with their engagement. However, online critics were more focused on Manganiello’s appearance. “I can see why she ditched her ring… he looks like a clown nowadays,” said one Daily Mail reader after the images were shared. “I sincerely hope his new look is for some movie role. This is NOT a good look for him. I am thrilled that he’s obviously happy with her. I mean if it couldn’t be me…….,” added another critic. Another chimed in with, “I doubt he could look any worse.” One user echoed the sentiment, even invoking Manganiello’s ex-wife Vergara. “Ewww, omg what happened to him? He looks like a giant old lady LMAO. He lost any kind of looks or appeal he had after the divorce with Sofia Vergara.” Some readers, however, offered more grounded theories regarding the missing ring, suggesting she was getting it resized. But some thought a bigger issue was at stake. One person asked, “Negotiating the prenup maybe? The arm is up so everyone sees what’s at stake.” Manganiello has embraced a few different looks since separating from Vergara. He’s rocked everything from his signature slick back look to a man bun in various posts on his social media accounts. He even went for a short tapered look in some images, while he lets his hair flow freely in others. His engagement to O’Connor came roughly a year after finalizing his divorce from Vergara. The former couple, who were married for seven years, split in July 2023 when Manganiello filed for divorce; it was finalized by February 2024. That same year, the “Modern Family” star told Spanish outlet El País that a major reason for the split was her younger husband’s desire for children. “He wanted to have kids and I didn’t want to be an old mom,” said the mom of one, who has a son, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, 34, from a previous relationship. In a May 2024 interview with People, she elaborated on her decision to move on. “Yes. There are 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 explained. The 53-year-old actress acknowledged that, although science has made it possible for older women to have children, she believes, “it’s time for you to be done with that.” “There is a reason why nature is doing that,” she said, later adding, “But that’s for me, and I totally respect where anyone wants to be a mom after 50. 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 into this world, and I’m not going to be able to give 100 percent.” Manganiello, however, disputed that version of events. In an interview with Men’s Journal, he claimed the couple “did try to have a family for the first year and a half,” but that the marriage ended because “two people grew apart.” “To be painted as if I had some sort of midlife crisis… that’s never who I was,” he said in July 2024. Regardless of the real reason behind their split, both stars have since moved on. The Daily Mail reports that Manganiello and O’Connor are aligned in their desire to start a family, and that the actor is “eager to be a father.”