Joe Manganiello is opening up like never before about a very traumatic period in his life. The True Blood star revealed earlier this year that he’d been privately battling a debilitating illness for seven years. He detailed the battle in his new book, Bloodlines. But the book didn’t show the shocking effect the illness had on the actor’s body. Now, he’s shared photos from the hospital stay that required an amputation. Keep reading for all the details.
True Blood Star Reveals Serious Health Battle
Joe Manganiello has starred in many movies over the years. But his most memorable role was on HBO’s True Blood series. More recently, his career took a turn into game show hosting when Joe Manganiello hosted NBC’s Deal or No Deal Island for two seasons before it was canceled.
If it seems like he hasn’t been active in movies or TV over the last few years, there’s a reason. He was battling unexplainable medical conditions, including headaches, fatigue, and digestive tract issues. Doctors were stumped by his symptoms. Joe Manganiello tried all kinds of treatments and drugs, putting his sobriety in danger, while trying to find answers. He eventually turned to alternative and unorthodox treatments, including pagan rituals and visiting shamans.
The autoimmune disorder began during his marriage to actress Sofia Vergara. Joe Manganiello claimed in his book that his illness played a role in their divorce, accusing her of being unsupportive during his health battle. They separated in 2023 after eight years of marriage. He’s now engaged to Caitlin O’Connor.
Joe Manganiello Shares Shocking Photos After Amputation
Joe Manganiello underwent emergency surgery in 2016 to remove a large portion of his intestines. The amputation of his large intestine left him unable to go to the bathroom regularly and required an ostomy bag. He detailed all of that in Bloodlines. However, the written word isn’t nearly as powerful as a visual.
The True Bloods star took to Instagram days after his book release to share shocking photos from the hospitalization during the health crisis. The first photo showed him sitting up in a hospital chair shirtless. He looks visibly thinner than usual.
“In the days following the amputation of my large intestine, my weight began to plummet. I would ultimately lose a total of 60 lbs during the two weeks following the surgery,” he explained on social media. “If you zoom in, you can see the top of my first ostomy bag creeping up over the sheets.”
Trigger Warning: The following graphic photos may be disturbing or upsetting to some viewers.
The second photo was a graphic close-up of the actor’s stomach with multiple scars in various stages of healing and one bloody, open wound. “A shot of my abdomen after the reconnection/take down surgery or anastomosis, in which my ostomy bag was removed and what was left of my digestive tract was reconnected,” he wrote about the graphic image.
The third photo was a close-up of his face with a visible rash all over. “An example of the multitude of skin conditions I was plagued with during the seven years I was sick,” he explained.
The last seven years have been rough on Joe Manganiello, physically and mentally. However, he revealed in the book that he’s doing much better now. The actor is symptom-free and off all medication. Bloodlines is available to purchase online or at your local bookstore.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger