NEED TO KNOW
Caitlin O’Connor confirmed to PEOPLE that she and fiance Joe Manganiello have moved back to their hometown of Pittsburgh
During the exclusive interview, O’Connor told PEOPLE that the pair “really connect” over their shared upbringing and are happy to be “back home together”
The couple announced their engagement in October after two years of dating
Caitlin O’Connor and Joe Manganiello have officially put down roots in a city that holds a special place in both of their hearts.
During an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, O’Connor, 36, confirmed she and her fiance, 48, have left Los Angeles and moved back to Pittsburgh, where they both grew up. The newly engaged couple have relocated to Mount Lebanon, Penn., a suburb of the western Pennsylvania city, which O’Connor notes was a “recent move” for them.
“I mean, L.A. has been both of our homes for over 20 years,” she says, referring to her and Manganiello. “I was born in L.A., but raised in Pittsburgh, so we’re both from the same hometown.”
Joe Manganiello/Instagram
Joe Manganiello and Caitlin O’Connor
The television host added that the shared connection was something she and the Magic Mike star really bonded over, and that they’re both thrilled to be “back home.”
“That’s what we really connect on, you know, we share the same upbringing, the same hometown knowledge. And that’s what really connects us as a couple,” she tells PEOPLE. “So it’s beautiful to be back home together.”
One thing she loves about their new neighborhood is how “safe” it feels, and how the area looks like it’s straight out of a “postcard.”
“I’ve never been in a more beautiful neighborhood in Pittsburgh. It’s just idyllic,” she says, adding that the move was not a “sudden” decision: “We were thinking about it for a while.”
While she notes they have to travel back and forth between L.A. and New York City for work, their home base will be in Pittsburgh. O’Connor adds she and Manganiello have been loving the snow in their new home, and recalls one specific cold weather activity that has been especially entertaining for her.
“I mean, I watched Joe shovel snow in our driveway for two-and-a-half hours yesterday. And it was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen,” she jokes.
Courtesy Caitlin O’Connor
Joe Manganiello and Caitlin O’Connor
She’s also looking forward to spending the holiday season in Pittsburgh this year.
O’Connor tells PEOPLE she and Manganiello are expecting a “big family celebration” for the holidays, as their parents are either traveling to Pittsburgh for Christmas or already living nearby.
The pair have collected an impressive ornament collection throughout their relationship, she adds, as they’ve traveled extensively and try to pick one up from every place they’ve visited.
“Joe and I have been sort of on a world tour since we met. We’ve traveled a lot … to over 70 cities in the last two years,” O’Connor says. “So we have ornaments from all over the world. We try to collect a piece of art from all over the world and bring it back. “
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Manganiello and O’Connor first sparked romance rumors in September 2023, and later confirmed their relationship in December that same year.
The lovebirds announced their engagement in October 2025 after two years of dating. They both shared the happy news in separate posts on Instagram, adding in their captions that the proposal took place on Tuesday, June 24.
“💍 June 24th, 2025 💍,” the couple wrote alongside a photo of them with their chihuahua, Bubbles.
Read the original article on People