JOE MANTEGNA - I'm So BLESSED

The Criminal Minds star shares the story of his life

- Susan Hornik

Like fine wine, Joe Mantegna just keeps getting better with age. With decades of acting experience under his belt and a ton of heart, he’s conquered the worlds of theater, film and television. But in 2020, when his much loved CBS show Criminal Minds ended its run after 15 seasons, the last thing Joe expected was for Paramount+ to pick it up. The new series, Criminal Minds: Evolution, reunited most of the cast and was so well received that a second season is scheduled to bow in December. “It was like jumping on a different bike,” Joe told Closer during the Television Critics Association Press Tour. “You know, like a shiny, new, bigger, more exciting kind of a bike. It’s like jumping from a regular bike onto an electric bike!”

So you didn’t expect Criminal Minds to come back?

I didn’t, but I’m thrilled. When the CBS show ended, we figured OK, we did 15 years. I think there were some hints when we ended that maybe there would be a chance [to return] down the line, especially the way things are now with reboots, but we weren’t expecting it.

As federal agents who profile violent criminals, the show has never shied away from graphic content. Have you ever worried it would turn some viewers off?

No. I’ve always been a defender of the fact that our show gave a realistic aspect to what these real men and women at the FBI do. It doesn’t disturb me at all. When they say, “Cut,” that person lying there with the ax in his head pops up and goes over to craft services and gets a sandwich. But we try to show it like it is. I think that’s important.

What set you on the path to become an actor when you were growing up?