Joe Manganiello wasn’t an eligible bachelor for long!
Just five months after splitting from wife Sofia Vergara, the “Magic Mike” actor debuted a new leading lady, actress Caitlin O’Connor. The new couple attended the 20th annual Children of Armenian Fund (COAF) Holiday Gala on Saturday in New York City, where Manganiello was honored with the organization’s Humanitarian Award. COAF, a nonprofit NGO, aims to enrich the lives of the children of Armenia. Manganiello previously touched upon his Armenian ancestry during an episode of “Find Your Roots.”
Manganiello, 46 and O’Connor, 33, are rumored to have met at a party in September and started “casually seeing each other” before becoming an official couple at the end of the month, per People magazine.
SOFIA VERGARA IS ‘TRYING TO HAVE FUN’ AMID DIVORCE FROM JOE MANGANIELLO: ‘I’VE BEEN LUCKY’
A source from the event, held at Cipriani, told Fox News Digital that the couple “seemed so into each other” and remained together throughout the event. Manganiello was particularly kind and opted to take photos with other attendees, many of whom were also Armenian.
During his speech, Manganiello spoke about his great-grandmother who evaded death in 1915 after her husband and seven of their eight children were murdered by the Ottoman Turks during the Armenian Genocide. “The whole room was emotional at his speech,” the insider added. “Not a dry eye in the room!”
“I had no idea how much impact that it would have,” the “True Blood” star said of sharing his family’s story, according to video from the event seen by Fox News Digital. “And I had no idea how underrepresented the story of the Armenians was in the public. Since 1915, and even before that, the Turkish government refuses to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, of the massacre of over 1.5 million of Armenians. Every single Armenian has a story like mine. Every one of us carries the survivor’s gene.”
The event, which featured a silent and live auction, raised over $10 million.
Manganiello initially filed for divorce from Vergara, 51, in July. According to documents obtained by Fox News Digital, the listed date of separation was noted as July 2. “We have made the difficult decision to divorce,” the couple said in a statement shared with Page Six. “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.”
Vergara has reportedly rebounded with a new man of her own. She has been spotted with orthopedic surgeon Justin Saliman on several occasions.