Joe Mantegna & His Wife Of 47 Years Stepped Up To Care For Autistic Daughter ‘As A Family’

Jun 27, 2023

Joe Mantegna is an American actor best known for his roles in the TV series "Criminal Minds" and the film "The Godfather Part III." He has been working as an actor since the late 1960s. A skilled performer, Joe also has great talents as a producer and director. On top of that, Joe is also a devoted husband and father of two.

Joe was born on Nov. 13, 1947, in Chicago, Illinois. He comes from an Italian-American family and takes pride in his family's heritage. He went on to attend the Goodman School of Drama at the Art Institute of Chicago, now known as DePaul University and graduated in 1969. The aspiring star first found a small bout of success in the music industry and is even friends with the original members of the band Chicago. 

Later, Joe worked as a film industry photographer before finally showing off his acting skills. His career started off with a bang, as he won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his part in "Hair." He also won a Joseph Jefferson Award for his role in "Glengarry Glen Ross." Joe continued to find great success in the world of theater before eventually shifting his career direction toward film and television.

As successful and fulfilling as this theater work was, perhaps Joe's more younger viewers will recognize the actor for his work in front of the camera. Some of Joe's biggest box office hits when he finally assumed the position of leading man include "Three Amigos" and "Up Close and Personal."

Over time, Joe has starred in theater productions, films and television shows, with one of his most famous roles being as FBI Supervisory Special Agent David Rossi in "Criminal Minds." The uncharacteristic role truly skyrocketed Joe to fame and cemented him as a household name.

The show had been a fan favorite among weeknight audiences and fans of police procedural crime dramas for several years. "Criminal Minds" aired from 2005 to 2020 before airing what was thought to be its 15th and last season. However, a 16th season called "Criminal Minds: Evolution" that comprised 10 episodes aired in November 2022 on Paramount+. 

Although Joe was not part of the show's original line-up, he quickly became a fan favorite with his charming and honest personality both behind the scenes and in front of the camera and was a main character from 2007 to 2020. His character, a special-agent-turned-writer, often struggles with a dramatic personal life, having a number of ex-wives that cause him some degree of grief. 

Off-screen, Joe is a devoted family man. Unlike Agent Rossi, Joe has proven to be a stand-up guy and doting father. He has been married to his wife, Arlene Vrhel, since October 1975. The couple has two daughters together named Mia Mantegna and Gia Mantegna. Gia is an actress best known for her role as Devin Levin on the sitcom "The Middle." She has also acted alongside her father in "Uncle Nino." Joe's oldest daughter Mia was born in 1987 and has autism – something that the actor has worked to spread awareness on throughout his career.

Joe and Vrhel have been married now for 47 years, with Vrhel supporting her husband through the pursuit of his dreams. Both from the Chicago area, the two started dating in 1969 and married in 1975. Two years later, they relocated to Los Angeles for Joe's career. 

Finding more success on stage than on scene, Vrhel found herself cooking cast dinners for her husband's castmates. “I don’t know how to cook for two,” Vrhel revealed to the Chicago Tribune in 1986. “It’s always for eight or 10.”

Vrhel's own dreams of opening a restaurant had to wait. After they'd started a family, Joe had seen some commercial success. After that, the couple decided to finally open the eatery Taste Chicago.

The Burbank grub spot served "Italian beef sandwiches, deep dish pizza, and Vienna Beef hotdogs in a poppy seed bun," as well as other comfort foods that the couple had grown to love back home. In a Facebook post, Mantegna wrote:

"I salute my wife Arlene as over 15 years ago she had a dream to open a place that would provide great Chicago-themed. food, a friendly atmosphere, and a lifetime of memories for both patrons and staff."

He continued, with glowing praise, "I couldn't be prouder of that accomplishment. In a world where many walk in the shadows, she has always been the light." 

Taste Chicago closed in 2019 after over a decade of business. With their restaurateur days past, the couple now focuses on charity work, as always, with each other at their side. 

One of Joe’s top priorities has always been to support his autistic daughter Mia. One way he and his wife did that was to ensure Mia learned to be independent to some degree. He told Ability magazine:

“It’s always been our intent as parents to get her out in the world, so she can learn to cope. We know there are obstacles to overcome, but at the end of the day, she’ll be better prepared to continue on in her life probably for many years, well beyond when either her mother or I will be around to help. So, it’s important that we give her all the tools and help we can now.”

In line with this, they gave Mia the opportunity to become a bookkeeper at Taste Chicago when it was open. Mia is also part of Inclusion Films, a group that teaches film-making skills to those with developmental disabilities. There, she works as a makeup artist. While Mia is thriving today, it was a challenging road at the start. 

Mia was diagnosed with autism after her parents suspected something amiss about her speech pattern and attention span when she was a toddler. Joe said the diagnosis felt “like somebody shot a cannonball into your chest.” 

However, the loving parents did all they could to learn about the condition and support Mia. For Joe, this meant never being away from her for too long, so if he ever had to relocate temporarily for an acting job, the whole gang came with him. “We thought if we were going to face this, let’s all face it together. Let’s do this as a family,” he said. 

Joe also works to promote autism awareness with charitable groups as “the older you get, the more you realize we are a community,” he said. 

How do you feel about the way Joe Mantegna has dealt with his daughter's autism? Do you find his parenting style inspiring? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family, and any Mantegna fans!