Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Modern Family actress Sofia Vergara and former fiance Nick Loeb have spoken out about their frozen embryo battle on duelling morning TV show appearances.
Vergara told ABC’s Good Morning America that her ex was taking advantage of her.
“I don’t think it’s fair,” she said.
Meanwhile on NBC’s Today Show, Loeb spoke of “moral, legal, ethical concepts” concerning lives “that we’ve already created”.
Loeb has taken legal action to gain control over two embryos he and Vergara created in 2013 through in vitro fertilisation, before they split up.
He wants a surrogate to carry and give birth to them, and to raise the children himself.
However, a contract the couple signed states the embryos can be brought to term only with both parties’ consent.
“I really want to make this like the last time I talk about it,” the 42-year-old actress said.
“He’s not a celebrity”
She blamed the media for bringing attention to Loeb, saying that it allowed “somebody to invent things and create press for himself.”
She added, “he’s not an actor. He’s not a celebrity.”
She added: “It shouldn’t be out there for people to give their opinion when there’s nothing to talk about. There’s papers signed.”
Loeb retorted that “two lives have already been created.”
“I wouldn’t just toss them aside no different than a child that had been born,” he said.
Loeb also wrote an op-ed column about the issue in the NY Times.
“When we create embryos for the purpose of life, should we not define them as life, rather than as property?” the businessman wrote.
He said he had offered to pay all expenses and take full responsibility for raising the children.
“A woman is entitled to bring a pregnancy to term even if the man objects,” he said.
Vergara, who is currently promoting her new film Hot Pursuit, is the highest paid TV actress in the US.
She has earned Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award nominations for her role as the fiesty Gloria in the sitcom.
BBC