Who Is Sofia Vergara's Boyfriend? All About Justin Saliman (2024)

Sofia Vergara has a new beau.

The Colombian actress and orthopedic surgeon Justin Saliman first sparked dating rumors in October 2023, after which a source told PEOPLE that Vergara was “dating and having fun.”

The Modern Family alum may be keeping busy between judging on America’s Got Talent and launching a coffee line, but while speaking to PEOPLE in April 2024, she revealed she was ready to find love again after her July 2023 divorce from fellow actor Joe Manganiello.

"It doesn’t even have to be a husband. A partner,” she told PEOPLE a few months earlier. And although Vergara was coy about her new relationship, she was clear about some of the qualities she was looking for in a new boyfriend. "Health. Money. Fun. With kids. That’s it," the Emmy nominee said.

“I mean, it’s already hard for a fiftysomething-year-old woman to find someone," she said after being asked if she would date someone in the industry again. "I’m not going to be now picky about, 'Oh, he can only be a doctor. Oh, he can only be an astronaut.' ”

After a few Instagram “soft launches,” she made her “luv” for Saliman public in April 2024 on her Instagram Stories.

So, who is Sofia Vergara’s boyfriend? Here is everything to know about Justin Saliman and his relationship with the actress.

He is originally from Denver

Although Saliman now calls Los Angeles home, he was born and raised in Denver. As the grandson of one of the lead engineers for the Hoover Dam, he grew up with an innate curiosity about the intricacies of how things were built, he told Forbes in December 2019.

According to Saliman's LinkedIn, he received his medical degree from the University of Colorado and went on to do his Orthopedic Residency at Mount Sinai in New York City, before completing a fellowship at Stanford University.

Saliman is an orthopedic surgeon

Saliman is a Beverly Hills-based orthopedic surgeon. He previously worked with the San Francisco 49ers along with several university athletic teams as part of a sports medicine fellowship at Stanford University.

The medical professional is also the founder of Ceterix Orthopaedics and the NovoStitch Pro Meniscal Repair System.

“I can have more of an impact on humanity by solving a need in the medtech space than I ever could treating individual patients,” Saliman told Forbes. “If I didn’t do your knee surgery, then someone else would, but if I didn’t build Ceterix, I didn’t believe anyone else would.”

He was previously married to Grimm actress Bree Turner

Despite not being in the industry, Saliman’s relationship with Vergara isn't his first time being romantically linked to a Hollywood star. He married Grimm actress Bree Turner in 2008.

But after a decade of marriage, she filed for divorce in 2018, citing “irreconcilable differences.”

Vergara and Saliman were first seen together in October 2023

Saliman and Vergara were first linked in October 2023 when they were spotted on a dinner date at Funke restaurant in L.A. During the outing, they were photographed together at the eatery and in a car driven by Saliman.

"She is enjoying life. She seems positive and full of energy," a source told PEOPLE after their first date.

In November 2023, Vergara and Saliman were seen heading into the Italian restaurant Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica, Calif.

Rumors of her budding romance came months after she filed for divorce from Manganiello in July. In a January 2024 interview with Spanish newspaper El País, Vergara revealed that her marriage ended because “he wanted to have kids and [she] didn’t want to be an old mom.”

They both have kids with their ex-spouses

Vergara and ex-husband Joe Gonzalez share a son, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, and the actress has shared that she doesn’t plan on having any more children.

“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 told El País.

Saliman's family situation — with two children, Stella Jean and Dean Turner — aligns with Vergara's hopes. Court documents obtained by The Blast revealed that his ex-wife Turner requested joint legal and physical custody of the children following their split.

Saliman helped Vergara recover from knee surgery

Vergara revealed on her Instagram Stories in April 2024 that she underwent knee surgery — and was being cared for by Saliman.

"If u ever get a [major] knee surgery make sure u Get a handsome doctor who will sleep with u that night... ! Luv u," the actress captioned a photo of Saliman smiling while wearing dark blue medical scrubs.

After months of dating rumors, this post was Vergara’s first time publicly confirming her relationship with Saliman.

He celebrated Mother’s Day 2024 with Vergara’s family and friends

Vergara posted on Instagram in May 2024 with the caption, “Feliz mothers day everyone! gracias @anastasiasoare.” She celebrated the holiday at Anastasia Soare’s Beverly Hill’s home, along with her son, Manolo.

Saliman was featured in two of the photos in the carousel, one standing next to Manolo and one in conversation with Vergara.

This wasn’t his first “soft launch” appearance on Vergara’s Instagram. In February 2024, he was pictured next to Vergara in a group photo that she posted with the caption, “Feliz dinner ❤️.”

Vergara has a tattoo in his honor — sort of

In a May 2024 appearance on The Talk, Vergara revealed she was giving new meaning to a tattoo formerly dedicated to Manganiello.

The Griselda star explained that she has inked initials on each of her wrists, one honoring her late brother and the other, a “J.”

“This was Joe Manganiello's initial, but now he’s gone so," Vergara said, leading the crowd to erupt in laughter and applause. She said she plans to simply “recycle” the tattoo for her new man.

“How lucky can I be that the guy that I’m going out [with] has the same initial,” she said referencing Saliman.

He celebrated the launch of her culinary business

Saliman attended the launch party for Vergara and her son Manolo's culinary brand, Toma, in June 2024.

The couple were pictured next to each other in a photo Vergara posted on Instagram. "Thank u to everyone that came last night!!! 🥟🥟🥟," she captioned the photo.

Two days later, Vergara hosted friends at her home. She posted photos from the "Sunday Funday" gathering on her Instagram, which featured Saliman among a few of Vergara's friends, including Soare, Jessica Alba and Mohammed Al Turki.