Joe Manganiello ''waited four and a half years'' for Sofia Vergara to be single.

The 'Magic Mike XXL' star, who is now engaged to the 'Modern Family' actress, admits he jumped on a plane to take her out to dinner as soon as he heard she had split from ex-fiancé Nick Loeb last year.

The 38-year-old actor said: ''The [editorial director] of PEOPLE [magazine], Jess Cagle, knew I'd had the hots for Sofia for years, and emailed me saying she had just become single. I immediately got in touch with [her co-star] Jesse Tyler Ferguson and was like, 'Jesse, I don't know what her emotional state is, but you gotta tell her I want to take her out.'

''He gave me her number, I called and she was like, 'I'm shooting this movie in New Orleans. Whey don't we go out when I get back?' I was like, 'No f**king way. I waited four and a half years for you to be single. I'm not going to miss my window.'

''I got on a plane to New Orleans and took her out. Best decision ever.''

Joe also credits the 42-year-old beauty for helping him to hone his moves from the sequel of the stripper film.

He said: ''I studied ballet. And I'm marrying a Colombian woman. Any family dinner turns into a dance party.''

Despite being known for his ripped muscles, the former 'True Blood' hunk claims he eats what he likes when he isn't working.

He told Britain's Glamour magazine: ''When I'm working out for a job, I push myself. But when I'm off, if I wanna have fried chicken and waffles three times a day, I'll do it.''