Sofia Vergara Embraces Newfound Independence After Joe Manganiello Breakup - A Look into Julie Bowen's Celebratory Message

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Julie Bowen is praising her Modern Family co-star Sofia Vergara following her breakup from Joe Manganiello.

"This is the epitome of single and fabulous!!!️️️️️," Bowen, 53, gushed in response to a collection of Instagram photos posted by Vergara, 51. The pictures showcased Vergara looking stunning in a flattering one-piece swimsuit during her vacation in Italy. In her caption, Vergara wrote, "Enjoying the final days of my vacation! Even when you are incredibly attractive, I still adore you, Ravello!!!."

Hours after posting vacation photos, Vergara and Manganiello, aged 46, released a joint statement to Page Six announcing their decision to divorce. In the statement, they asked for respect and privacy as they navigate this new phase of their lives.

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According to Bowen, Manganiello's behavior with Vergara was described as "caveman-like" when discussing their passionate dynamic in September 2015. Bowen, an actress in the show Mixtape, expressed her admiration for their strong and assertive personalities, but also noted that seeing them together revealed a softer and more vulnerable side to Vergara. She described their relationship as having a primal aspect that is not often seen. Despite their public displays of affection at various events, fans started to speculate about the state of their marriage almost a year before they officially announced their split.

Vergara accompanied her son, Manolo, 31, whom she shares with ex-husband Joe Gonzalez, as her date to Sarah Hyland and Wells Adams‘ wedding in August 2022. While Manganiello's absence was explained as being due to his work schedule, some fans speculated it was a sign of marital troubles. Recently, social media users pointed out that Manganiello's birthday tribute to Vergara earlier this month was notably short, with the caption "¡¡¡Feliz Cumpleaños Sofía!!!" accompanying a throwback photo of the couple.

One Instagram user expressed their concern, stating that there was a certain uneasiness in the post. "It feels like a distant message for her, with two stories about his dog's birthday. And Sofia hasn't even been acknowledged with a simple thank you," the comment read.

Adding to the discussion, another fan shared their disapproval, saying, "Am I the only one who finds the tone unsettling? Instead of 'Sofia,' he could have used endearing terms like 'My love' or 'My beloved wife'."

Julie Bowen, Sarah Hyland, Sofia Vergara, Eric Stonestreet, Jesse Tyler Ferguson Mitchell Haddad/Abc-Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock

Vergara posted a series of Instagram photos of her having dinner with a friend, just two days before the estranged couple revealed their breakup. In the caption of the post, she wrote, "When life gives you lemons, you come to Italy to squeeze them️️" on Saturday, July 15.

One Instagram user interpreted the caption with mixed emotions as evidence of marital problems, commenting, "Looks like the marriage is coming to an end."

Before becoming involved with Manganiello, Vergara was engaged to Nick Loeb from 2012 to 2014. Following their breakup, Loeb, who is now 47, filed a lawsuit to gain custody of two frozen embryos that were created through in vitro fertilization when the couple was still together. Although he later withdrew the initial lawsuit, the businessman filed a lawsuit in Louisiana in December 2016, arguing for the rights of the embryos. In a 2015 op-ed published in The New York Times, Loeb asserted that keeping the embryos frozen in a cryopreservation clinic "is equivalent to killing them."

A Louisiana judge dismissed the case in August 2017, stating that the court had no jurisdiction over the embryos, which were conceived in California.