Joe Manganiello feels ready to say ‘I do’ for the second time in his life because his bride-to-be, Caitlin O’Connor, reminds him of home, an insider has revealed.
‘He was coming off of a seven-year marriage, [and] I think it was nice for him to meet a girl that was from his hometown,’ the source exclusively told the Daily Mail, referencing the actor’s failed relationship with Sofia Vergara.
‘It says a lot when you can find someone who kind of knows how you grew up and knows who you really are – besides the light and the brightness.’
The insider said Manganiello, 48, and O’Connor, 36, immediately felt sparks when they randomly met while in a jacuzzi at a house party more than two years ago, as they both hail from the Pittsburgh area.
‘[This relationship] is a sweet hometown feel for both of them,’ the source said.
Unlike the Magic Mike star and his new fiancée, Vergara, 53, was born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia.
Joe Manganiello feels ready to say ‘I do’ for the second time in his life because his bride-to-be, Caitlin O’Connor, reminds him of home, an insider has revealed. The couple is seen in 2023
The source said ‘coming off of a seven-year marriage it was nice for him to meet a girl that was from his hometown,’ referencing his failed relationship with Sofia Vergara (seen in 2023)
During her marriage to Manganiello, the Modern Family alum joked about how her then-spouse had to ‘brainwash’ her into becoming a Steelers fan.
The couple ultimately split in July 2023, with Manganiello filing for divorce and citing irreconcilable differences.
He later shared in an interview with Men’s Journal that they called it quits because ‘two people grew apart’ and denied claims that their differences over having children together were the catalyst.
Manganiello and O’Connor, meanwhile, appear to be more on the same page about several things – although the insider did not disclose whether the pair has plans to start a family soon.
The Daily Mail was told that the True Blood alum and entertainment reporter had had talks about tying the knot so the engagement – which took place on June 24 – was not a ‘complete shock.’
‘They had been dating for two years. They had talked about it previously. I don’t believe it was just out of the blue,’ the insider told the Daily Mail.
The source said Manganiello got down on one knee in a private proposal. Following the special moment, the couple shared the happy news with ‘very few people.’
‘They kept it private for a very long time [because] very few things these days are private. It just didn’t need to be broadcast to everyone at the time,’ the insider explained.
The insider said Manganiello, 48, and O’Connor, 36, (seen this year) immediately felt sparks when they met more than two years ago, as they both hail from the Pittsburgh area
Manganiello and O’Connor went public with their engagement via Instagram last week, with the actress showcasing her sparkly diamond ring in a selfie she took with the actor and their dog
‘They kind of wanted to keep something for themselves for as long as they could,’ the source continued, adding that the pair keeping this secret together felt like a ‘nice, blissful moment.’
Manganiello and O’Connor finally went public with their engagement via Instagram last week, with the actress showcasing her sparkly diamond ring in a selfie she took with her husband-to-be and their dog.
She captioned the sweet snap with the date of their engagement and diamond emojis.
According to the insider, the pair haven’t yet started wedding planning, as they’ve been enjoying just being engaged.
‘It wasn’t something they worked on right away. It wasn’t like they called their wedding planner the next day. It’s nice. For now, they’re happily engaged,’ they said.
Reps for Manganiello declined to comment. The Daily Mail has contacted O’Connor for comment.
