‘One Piece’ Star Joe Manganiello (49) Gets Emotional, Crediting Sofía Vergara (54) With Saving His Life

When Joe Manganiello announced his memoir ‘Bloodlines’ back in June, few fans knew the ‘True Blood’ and ‘Magic Mike’ star had spent years quietly fighting for his life. The book, released on October 13, details a 7-year battle with a mysterious autoimmune disorder that, according to reports, has been passed down through generations of his family.

The illness remained largely hidden from the public during his marriage to Sofía Vergara, whom he began dating in 2014 and was married to from 2015 to 2023. Manganiello has said only the people closest to him knew what he was going through.

Now Manganiello is opening up about it on camera. In a new interview with Entertainment Tonight, the actor became visibly emotional while discussing the health struggles he faced and how his now ex-wife, Sofía Vergara, saved his life.

The moment echoes one of the most striking chapters in ‘Bloodlines’. In the book, Manganiello describes how Vergara made a life-or-death decision on his behalf while he was unconscious during surgery.

According to the memoir, Manganiello’s health crisis reached a breaking point in 2016. After about a year of mysterious symptoms and a collapse on set, he spent 2 months in the hospital before doctors determined they needed to remove his entire large intestine.

Joe Manganiello gets emotional opening up about the health struggles he faced and how his now ex-wife, Sofía Vergara, saved his life. His book, ‘Bloodlines: A Memoir,’ is out now. https://t.co/rIj10EzJmF

— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) October 13, 2026

Because he was under anesthesia, doctors called Vergara as his next of kin to decide what he would want. When he woke after the 10-hour procedure, she was by his side to tell him the surgery had saved his life but left him with an ostomy bag, possibly permanently.

Manganiello has made a point of acknowledging her role even as he shares harder memories. Speaking with Gayle King on ‘CBS Mornings’, he said he absolutely credits Vergara for saving his life, explaining that her choice bought him time even though doctors still didn’t know what was causing his illness.

He also reflected on how the years of pain affected both of them in different ways. Manganiello described the book as a story about survival and, ultimately, hope. ‘Bloodlines’ doesn’t shy away from the strain on their relationship.

Manganiello writes that the marriage eventually became devoid of emotion and claims Vergara refused to hug him when he needed support and mocked his beloved dog. The pair have also offered conflicting accounts of their split. Vergara has said they broke up because he wanted children, while Manganiello disputes that, saying his illness changed his outlook on fatherhood.

Joe Manganiello spent years battling a mystery autoimmune illness that almost killed him, lost part of his intestine, and lived with an ostomy bag. Desperate for answers beyond doctors, he flew to Cuba for a Santería ritual where he licked the pituitary gland from a goat’s skull and sat with a Babalao who became mounted by an African spirit. A shaman later told him the real cause was generational trauma from his ancestors. “I think Santería was responsible for a piece of it… this Babalao became mounted by an African spirit… After the first ritual, I woke up and it was gone… I became the physical embodiment of my god Chango.”

— Trig (@TKOTriggerX) October 12, 2026

The memoir’s release has sparked a public back-and-forth. Vergara reportedly shared a post from her son that appeared to describe Manganiello as a narcissistic man. When King asked him about it, Manganiello suggested that anyone making such claims should read the book first. He emphasized that the memoir is centered on the suffering he endured.

The memoir also sheds light on how his health intersected with his career. Manganiello told King he got the call to meet about playing Deathstroke in a ‘Batman’ movie only about a month after leaving the hospital, while still trying to regain weight he had lost.

That glimpse behind the scenes adds another layer to a story he kept private for years. Today, he also hosts ‘Deal or No Deal Island’, marking a new chapter after his long recovery.

Manganiello’s willingness to credit Vergara while also detailing the difficulties of their marriage gives ‘Bloodlines’ a layered quality. Rather than a simple score-settling exercise, it reads as a deeply personal account of illness, gratitude and heartbreak.

His emotional ET interview suggests those memories remain raw, even years later. For many readers, the book offers a new understanding of what he was quietly carrying during his time in the spotlight.

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