Joe Manganiello shares seven‑year health battle and memoir launch on CBS Mornings
Joe Manganiello disclosed on CBS Mornings that a seven‑year secret health battle nearly took his life, culminating in the removal of his entire large intestine, a temporary ostomy bag and a 60‑pound weight loss after a two‑month hospital stay.
Speaking with Gayle King, Manganiello explained that doctors could not identify the cause of the illness, which affected his thyroid, digestive system, skin, lungs and eyes. He described the final surgery as a “splitting open” of his abdomen, removal of the infected intestine and later reconnection of the remaining tract.
“I got the call about a month out of the hospital after I collapsed on another set,” Manganiello said. “After about a year of feeling these mystery symptoms, I went into the hospital for two months straight and at the end of my stay, they wound up having to remove my entire large intestine to save my life.”
The actor also revealed that during the same period, in 2016, he received an offer to portray the villain Deathstroke in Ben Affleck’s now‑canceled Batman film. “I was offered the role about a month after I was discharged,” he added, noting the timing underscored how close he was to “dying” when the call came.
Manganiello’s memoir, Bloodlines, released on Oct. 13, 2026, chronicles the illness, the arduous recovery and the strain it placed on his marriage to Sofía Vergara. He recounted that Vergara, as his next of kin, made the critical decision to proceed with the life‑saving surgery, a choice he credited for buying him time.
Images Manganiello posted on Instagram showed his hospital stay, including a close‑up of his abdomen with the ostomy bag and a collection of skin rashes that plagued him throughout the seven years. He wrote that his skin, an immune organ, was “stricken with just about every condition known to man, usually in combination.”
Beyond the physical toll, Manganiello described the emotional impact of the illness, noting feelings of guilt and burden during his marriage. He said the disease contributed to the couple’s separation in 2023 and final divorce in 2024, though he also hinted that the illness alone would not have ended the marriage.
Since his recovery, Manganiello has become engaged to Caitlin O’Connor and is focusing on promoting Bloodlines, which he says is “about the suffering I went through” rather than any sensational rumors surrounding his personal life.
The actor’s candid appearance on CBS Mornings offers a rare look at how chronic, unexplained illness can shape both personal health and public career trajectories, while his memoir promises a fuller account for readers interested in his journey.
