Joe Mantegna Met Wife Of 46 Years In High School & Now They Live Out Their Dreams Together

Aug 09, 2022 by apost team

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, Mantegna also has great talents as a producer and director. On top of that, Mantegna is also a devoted husband and father of two.

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

Over time, he 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 Mantegna to fame and cemented him as a household name.

The show has 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 its 15th and final season. Paramount+ announced in February 2021 that a 10-episode revival was in production.

Although Mantegna 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 with a number of ex-wives, causing him some degree of grief. 

Off-screen, Mantegna is a devoted family man. Unlike Agent Rossi, Mantegna has proven to be a stand-up guy and doting father. He has been married to his wife Arlene Wrhel since October 1975. The couple has two daughters together named Mia and Gia. 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." Mantegna's oldest daughter Mia was born in 1987 and has autism – something that the actor has worked to spread awareness throughout his career.

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The couple has been married now for almost 50 years, with Arlene 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 LA for Mantegna's career. 

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

Arlene's own dreams of opening a restaurant had to wait. After they'd started a family, Mantegna had seen some. commercial success, and the couple decided to finally open 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 in the Midwest. 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. 

What's your favorite episode of "Criminal Minds?" What do you think about Joe Mantegna's real-life relationship? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family, and any Mantegna fans!