Joe Manganiello is opening up about a health battle fans never knew he was fighting.
The “True Blood” star revealed that his upcoming memoir, “Bloodlines,” will detail a seven-year struggle with autoimmune-related illnesses that led to chronic pain, multiple medical crises and a life-saving organ amputation.
According to People, the actor’s health issues affected several parts of his body, including his skin, thyroid, eyes, lungs and digestive system. Throughout the ordeal, Manganiello said doctors were unable to provide clear answers about what was causing his condition, leaving him searching for solutions beyond traditional medicine.
The memoir, which will be released on Oct. 13, offers a rare look at one of the most difficult periods of the actor’s life and the journey that ultimately changed him.
Joe Manganiello Says the Ordeal Changed His Life
Manganiello’s health crisis unfolded over seven years and included what the publisher describes as multiple near-death experiences and life-threatening medical emergencies.
The actor said the illnesses triggered chronic pain and eventually resulted in a life-saving organ amputation. While he sought treatment through conventional medicine, he continued struggling to find explanations for what was happening to his body.
As a result, Manganiello began exploring other paths in hopes of finding answers.
That search led him to spirituality, ancestry research and alternative healing practices. Along the way, he explored everything from ancient myths and family records to shamans and pagan rituals as he tried to better understand the health challenges he was facing.
In a statement to People, Manganiello described the experience as both devastating and transformative.
“It was the most brutally difficult time of my life, one I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, but also my greatest adventure,” he said.
Manganiello added that writing the book helped him gain a new perspective on his struggles and understand how the experience ultimately shaped him.
Family History Became Part of His Search for Answers
As Manganiello continued looking for answers, his investigation expanded beyond his own medical history and into his family’s past.
According to the book’s synopsis, the actor uncovered relatives whose lives were shaped by violence, displacement and chronic illness. Among the discoveries was an ancestor who survived the Armenian genocide, a finding that became part of his effort to understand inherited trauma and the connections between family history, identity and health.
Per Us Weekly, “Bloodlines” explores themes that go far beyond his medical struggles, including faith, masculinity, ambition and self-discovery. Publisher Simon & Schuster describes the memoir as an examination of what happens when someone is forced to reevaluate the life they have built after confronting difficult truths about themselves and their past.
The memoir arrives during a significant chapter in Manganiello’s personal life. The actor was previously married to Sofía Vergara before the pair split in 2024. He later became engaged to Caitlin O’Connor in 2025.
While fans know Manganiello from projects including “True Blood,” “Magic Mike” and “Spider-Man,” the actor said “Bloodlines” tells a much more personal story.
“I hope that what I went through on this journey can give readers hope that answers and healing may lie for them on the other side of whatever they are fighting through.”
