Sofía Vergara and Joe Manganiello Have Been 'Growing Apart for Some Time' and Had 'Different' Focuses in Life: Source

A source close to the actress tells PEOPLE the pair, who announced their split Monday, "definitely love and respect each other" but their "initial passion" died down

Joe Manganiello and Sofía Vergara’s divorce may have been a long time coming.

“They have been growing apart for some time now and tried to resolve things, but they are focused on different areas of their lives,” a source close to the 51-year-old actress tells PEOPLE.

The Vergara source describes Manganiello, 46, and Vergara’s seven-year marriage as a “passionate, all-encompassing romance, which kept the flames hot for quite a while.”

Related: Joe Manganiello Gushed About 'Trust' He Had with Sofía Vergara 3 Years Before Divorce News: 'You Don't Let Go of It'

A second source echoes that characterization. “I have never seen two people so in love, so passionate and so happy,” the insider says. “They were always, laughing, lovey-dovey and really happy. There was a magical glow above their heads. They are both real people and down to earth.”

The Vergara source claims the actress and the True Blood alum’s flame died out over the years. “They definitely love and respect each other but once that initial passion dies down and other areas get in the way, then little differences get bigger,” the source continues.

The second source notes little differences ultimately led to the split. “They had differences in how their lives should go forward and it caused stress."

Manganiello met the Modern Family star via her costar Jesse Tyler Ferguson at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in 2014. He proposed in December of that year and they tied the knot in November 2015. According to the Vergara source, the mom of son Manolo, 31, always had reservations about marrying a fellow actor. (Vergara was married to her high school sweetheart, Joe González from 1991 -93.)

“Sofía is a smart and hardworking girl who thinks of everything that could go wrong before it actually does,” the source close to Vergara says. “Joe is pretty low key and for years this suited both of them. This has been chipping away for a while.”

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On Monday, Manganiello and Vergara announced their plans to divorce in a joint statement to Page Six.

"We have made the difficult decision to divorce,” the pair said. “As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect of our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives.”

Related: Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello's Relationship Timeline

The news comes as Vergara had been celebrating her 51st birthday in Italy on a trip with friends.

"When life gives u lemons u come to Italy to squeeze them😚❤️☀️🇮🇹 " Vergara captioned a photo of herself on her Italian getaway Sunday.

Based on Vergara’s Instagram posts from the vacation, Manganiello did not attend with her, but posted “¡¡¡Feliz Cumpleaños Sofía!!!” on July 10 for her birthday.

Last month, Vergara and Manganiello put their the seven-bedroom, 11-bathroom Beverly Hills home on the market for a second time in less than a year, for the asking price of $18 million.

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