Sofia Vergara split from Joe Manganiello because he wanted children and she did not.

Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello split over the idea of having kids

Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello split over the idea of having kids

The 51-year-old 'Modern Family' actress - whose eight-year marriage to Joe, 47, broke down last summer - has reflected about their divorce and the reasons for the end of their relationship.

She told Spanish publication El Pais: "My marriage broke up because my husband was younger; he wanted to have kids and I didn’t want to be an old mom."

While she has "respect" for anyone who becomes a parent later in life, she insisted it isn't the right move for her.

She added: "I feel it’s not fair to the baby. I respect whoever does it, but that’s not for me anymore."

Sofia - who has son Manolo from her first marriage to Joe Gonzalez, her high school sweetheart - insisted she feels more prepared to be a grandparent instead.

She explained: "I had a son at 19, who is now 32, and I’m ready to be a grandmother, not a mother. So, if love comes along, he has to come with [his own] children."

She also pointed to where she's at in her own life as she looks ahead to her 50s and beyond.

She added: "I’m almost in menopause; it’s the natural way of things.

"When my son becomes a dad, let him bring the baby to me for a while and then I’ll give it back to him and go on with my life; that’s what I have to do."

Sofia recently admitted she is ready to start the search for a new partner - and she suggested New York City could be a good place to find Mr Right because there are "more men" and they don't all work in show business.

During an appearance on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' - which is filmed in Manhattan - she pondered: "I think that you have more options with men ... I'm single now ...

"So in New York there's more people, there's not only like actors, [writers] or directors. I think there's like a bigger … I'm going to spend more time in New York."