Joe Manganiello and girlfriend Caitlin O’Connor’s relationship has been going from strength to strength since they met in 2023. The couple’s headline-making relationship began in August 2023, a month after Manganiello and Sofía Vergara announced their split after seven years of marriage.
“We have made the difficult decision to divorce,” their joint statement to Page Six read. “As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect of our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives.”
Since their split, Vergara and Manganiello have gotten candid about what really happened between them. “My marriage broke up because my husband was younger,” Vergara told El País in January 2024. “He wanted to have kids and I didn’t want to be an old mom.”
Manganiello, for his part, refuted the Modern Family star’s claims. “[Kids] wasn’t inevitably why everything ended,” Manganiello told Men’s Journal months later in July. “It’s because two people grew apart, and sometimes that happens.”
But, regardless of why the two split, they’ve both moved on with new relationships. Vergara is dating orthopedic surgeon Justin Saliman while Manganiello sparked a connection with fellow actress and TV host Caitlin O’Connor in August 2023 and they’ve been inseparable ever since. “I had no idea that we would hit it off,” O’Connor told SheKnows of their connection on October 1.
To find out more and Manganiello and O’Connor’s undeniable connection and their sweet love story, scroll below!
August 2023: Manganiello & O’Connor Meet
Manganiello and O’Connor’s love story began in August 2023 at the season 2 viewing party for Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. O’Connor starred in the show while the co-creator and executive producer Jim Hecht was working with Manganiello at the time and invited him too.
As it turns out, it was all a “meet-cute” fix-up plan from the minds of Hecht and his wife, Courtney Friel. “He had told Joe, ‘There’s a girl from Pittsburgh who is going to be there,’ and Jim’s wife Courtney said, ‘Hey, we invited Joe, he’s from Pittsburgh,” O’Connor told SheKnows.
Sure enough, the two started talking about their hometown and their connection began. “I had no idea that we would hit it off,” O’Connor admitted.
September 15, 2023: Manganiello & O’Connor’s Relationship Goes Public
A month after they met, TMZ broke the news of their relationship. The article included a screenshot of Courtney Friel’s Instagram Story of them and many other friends in the jacuzzi during the Winning Time party.
“The magic started in the jacuzzi,” Friel wrote above the picture.
“We met in the kitchen before, so technically we met in the kitchen of the party, and then everybody went to the jacuzzi,” O’Connor clarified to SheKnows.
December 9, 2023: Manganiello & O’Connor Make Their Red Carpet Debut
On December 9, Manganiello and O’Connor made their red carpet debut at the COAF (Children of Armenia Fund) Gala at Cipriani in New York City. Manganiello, who was presented with the COAF Humanitarian Award that night, wore a cool navy suit while O’Connor rocked this corseted figure-hugging emerald dress.
February 18, 2024: Manganiello & O’Connor Go Instagram Official
A few days after Valentine’s Day in 2024, Manganiello went Instagram official with O’Connor. Posting a carousel of pictures, the Magic Mike star shared a picture of them enjoying a Tool concert in Los Angeles and another of O’Connor enjoying a box of chocolates and a huge bouquet of red roses.
“And celebrated Valentine’s Day with Tool & Caitlin… ❤️,” Manganiello wrote in the caption.
In March, O’Connor posted her first picture with Manganiello on her feed alongside Shamrock Social Club founder Mark Mahoney.
September 26, 2024: Manganiello & O’Connor Celebrate Their First Anniversary
In late September, O’Connor posted a series of pictures to Instagram celebrating her and Manganiello’s first anniversary together. “Around the world in 1 year ✨,” she wrote in the caption.
Among the pictures are the two of them at a Metallica concert, posing in front of the Tower of Pisa in Italy, attending a football game together, enjoying the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center, visiting art museums in Florence, and many others.
“✈️ 🌎 💫,” Manganiello wrote in the comments.
“We’ve been traveling all over. We went to Paris, Italy, Armenia, Helsinki, Aspen, Germany, Switzerland,” she told SheKnows. “It’s been a whole world tour the past year.”
October 1, 2024: Caitlin O’Connor Talks About Joe Manganiello for the First Time
In an October 1 interview with SheKnows, O’Connor talked about how she navigates having her relationship in the public eye. “I think it really comes with the territory, and I have never had a problem with it,” she said. “I know that it comes with being an actress, being in the public eye.”
She added that she “really appreciates that the media has been kind and nice for the most part, and I hope it keeps going that way.”
“I think the future looks good.”
Leave a Comment