By having a companion who was willing to give up everything for his success, Joe Mantegna was able to take advantage of one of life’s many gratifying benefits. From the inside of the story of this couple’s love life is a lady who has been at her husband’s side for the past forty-six years, helping him to achieve the kind of success that he has on television.

Supporters of the television show “Criminal Minds” on CBS may remember that one of their favorite cast members, David Rossi, who was portrayed by Joe Mantegna, was an intriguing person to follow on screen.

In his search for the one who would complete him, Rossi has been in and out of a number of marriages and romantic relationships. On the other hand, he asserted that he failed to take advantage of a chance at real love since his childhood lover was the one who got away.

In point of fact, Joe has a stable romantic relationship. The actor has been devoted to his high school sweetheart, Arlene, for the better part of fifty years, which means that he is not only with the lady of his dreams but also with the woman he has loved since they were teenagers.

Because of this, the couple were able to create the most enchanting, storybook-like relationship in all of Hollywood by being together through thick and thin and being supportive of one another, despite the fact that doing so required them to make sacrifices.

When they were young adults, they started dating. The two people first became acquainted in a theater club after being selected for the same role in a production. However, it took a few years for their friendship to develop into a sexual connection.

After initially encountering one another, they went on to become acquainted with one another but then went back to their own lives. Arlene attended Morton West High School in Berwyn, Illinois, while Joe attended Morton East High School and junior college in Cicero, Illinois. Yet, it was the play that put them together.

This time, they had rubbed up their acting abilities and were more professional; they acknowledged each other, and soon after that, a love story was born. In 1969, they were longlisted as the finalist for “Hair,” a Chicago play in the Schubert Theater.

“As things worked out, both of us were chosen.” And, as you are probably aware, it eventually morphed into something else. ”

After all these years, Joe still places a high value on the beginning of their romance and brings it up at every available chance. In 2019, he posted a picture from the past in which he and Arlene are posed as cast members of the play “Hair,” which was the catalyst that started their history together.

The caption on Joe’s photo read:

“Yes, that’s me and my lovely wife Arlene when we did Hair. # hairthemusical,” he captioned the photo.

Despite the fact that they were head over heels for one another when they were reunited, the couple did not marry right away. Arlene claims that throughout those years, the two of them spent their time having fun since they identified as “hippies.”

In 1975, they reached the conclusion that it was the right moment to become a married couple. Following the private exchange of vows that took place atop the Eiffel Tower in the city of love, the couple then went on to have their wedding ceremony.

Joe did not instantly cross over from Broadway to TV; it took some time before he started getting calls. During this time, he was fortunate to have a wife who was encouraging and remained by his side like two peas in a pod.

Arlene showed her support for her husband by physically going everywhere he went and never leaving his side. They moved all of their stuff to Los Angeles in a U-Haul and made the trip. In addition, the couple had a close friend named Dennis Franz who was actively looking for a part that would launch his career.

Franz was there for them throughout their journey to popularity, and as a result, they formed an everlasting friendship with him. In a similar vein, Joe was an authentic buddy. He once made a threat to quit a local production if Franz was not let go of his role.

After spending a significant amount of time searching for a job that would suit him while on the road, Joe finally struck it lucky in New York with “Glengarry Glen Ross.” Following the release of this film, I received an endless stream of offers to appear in additional Hollywood productions. This was a wonderful time for the couple, who had maintained their solidarity through all of life’s ups and downs.

Once it looked like they would continue to enjoy popularity and financial success, they moved to Toluca, close to Burbank, and bought a large house in an urban setting. While Joe pursued a career as a top actor, he was supported and groomed by his wife, who was there every step of the way. Arlene devoted her time and energy to helping her husband become a famous figure.

Once, while giving a performance at the illustrious Goodman Theatre, the actor missed his lines, resulting in an uneasy quiet among the crowd. Despite this, Arlene gave her husband a bear hug while they were taking a break, and he was ultimately able to make it. Critics unanimously agreed that he was a “great” performer in the end.

The actor of “Criminal Minds” has done more than simply admit mistakes with his mouth. As a way of showing his appreciation for Arlene, who was able to take care of their family while also providing consistent support for him, he enabled her to achieve one of her lifetime goals: opening her own restaurant.

The two entrepreneurs launched “Taste Chicago” in Burbank in the year 2003. The restaurant served hearty and delicious dishes typical of Chicago, such as deep-dish pizza, Italian beef sandwiches, and Vienna beef hotdogs. Other options were Chicago-style fast food.

Despite this, the company remained open for nearly sixteen years before finally going out of business. Joe made the announcement to all of his friends, family, and followers on Facebook. He posted a picture of the restaurant’s outside and lauded his wife for the contributions she had made to the enterprise, including her ideas and her hard work. He added

“I couldn’t be more proud of her accomplishments, especially the ones that involve completing everything,” you say.

Although Joe has been happily married for over half a century, he has never been dishonest about the challenges of his apparently ideal relationship with his wife. The actor described how his marriage has been both a hard and pleasant trip, but that the people who have been on that journey with him are what really count. To quote him directly:

I’m not going to lie and pretend that my life has been easy and problem-free and that everything has always been just peachy. In my opinion, that is not something that anyone can say. However, what we have done is persisted, and I believe that the longer we persisted, the better it got. ”

Because life is a rollercoaster with no end to its twists and turns, the actor recommended younger couples have patience in their relationships and have foresight of where they are heading. Because Arlene has the same viewpoint, it is not surprising that they have been together for such a long time. She replied the following when asked to explain the cause of their eternal union:

You’ve probably heard this a million times, but it bears repeating since it’s incredibly important: Don’t go to bed angry. And we have never done so. ”

In addition to having a love story that is an inspiration to others, the couple are the proud parents of two gorgeous kids. One of their daughters, Gina, also known as Gia Mantegna, is active in the entertainment industry as an actress. In the comedy “The Middle,” she had a recurring role.

Joe and Arlene are passionate about assisting people in need in their community. They have committed a significant amount of their time to this cause thus far.

The Gary Sinise Foundation and Autism Speaks are two of the eight organizations that the couple collaborates with to provide assistance to veterans and people with developmental impairments. In addition to his other responsibilities, Joe serves as a spokesperson for the National Army Museum.