A Legendary Actor talks about being on a franchise TV drama

Speaker 1:

Taking a Walk with Buzz Knight.

Buzz Knight:

Today we have a virtual edition of Taking a Walk with the great American actor, Joe Mantegna. If you like this podcast, please share it with others. You can also follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

You know Joe from Godfather III, Bugsy, Joan of Arcadia, and the franchise on Paramount Plus and CBS Criminal Minds. He’s here to talk about the newest season of Criminal Minds. And we’ll also touch on elements of his career that not only touch acting, but touch music. Let’s welcome to Taking a Walk, the great actor Joe Mantegna.

Hi, Joe.

Joe Mantegna:

Hi, Buzz.

Buzz Knight:

Thanks for being on. Congratulations on Criminal Minds. Another season streaming now at Paramount Plus. Congrats.

Joe Mantegna:

Thank you very much.

Buzz Knight:

Can you take us inside? Going back to what you can tell us about the development of such a successful franchise such as Criminal Minds? How did this magic occur?

Joe Mantegna:

Yeah. Boy, if I knew that answer I’d create another one myself. But sometimes it’s hard to say. In other words, you put all these elements together and you hope for the best. It’s like saying why did the Beatles become The Beatles and other bands with four guys didn’t? It’s a combination of things. It was obviously an interesting idea when we first came about over… Almost 20 years ago now when original series first started.

And so you put this all together, you tell these stories. It’s an interesting premise about the Behavior Analysis Unit of the FBI, which is a real organization. And you tell. You get good writers and you tell these stories, and either it’s going to click or it isn’t. And in this instance, it really has clicked. And it clicked worldwide because it’s one of the most syndicated shows on the planet. And that’s why they brought us back.

So as to why that is or how that is, it’s a combination of things. And like I said, if there was a formula that worked every time, then every show would be that successful. But that’s not the case. So in other words, you give it your best shot and hope for the best.

Buzz Knight:

Did you embed at the beginning with the Behavioral Analysis Unit to really own the role as you have?

Joe Mantegna:

I did spend time in Quantico, yeah. I’ve been there numerous times. And so for any role you want to do as much research as possible, especially when you’re portraying something that really exists. Yeah. So it was very helpful to work with the real FBI. We’ve… In fact, on every episode we’ve always got a technical advisor connected with the FBI with us. And like I said, I spent time at Quantico numerous times to get a real feel for it.

So we’re still… At the end of the day, we’re creating a television show, so there’s going to be some dramatic license we take. But a lot of it is embedded in honest day to day what these men and women have to do every day. God bless them for doing it.

Buzz Knight:

And you have publicly expressed your support in this day and age obviously for the great work of law enforcement, right?

Joe Mantegna:

Absolutely. I’m a huge supporter of our military and our law enforcement because… I’m not a big guy in terms of politics. My feeling is politics. Thank God we live in a country where we can… We have the ability to go out and vote. And in some countries don’t have that capability. To have a free election. So my feeling is how I feel about my politics is my business, as is yours, as is everybody else. You go vote as you want to.

But in terms of the men and women who work in law enforcement and our military. People in uniform. These are people who have to go do their job, and politics don’t get involved there. And they need our support 24/7. And that’s why I’m happy to lead that parade wherever they would want me to go in terms of supporting these people who do these jobs that are… I’m glad I don’t have to do them in real life because these are the people that when they leave for work they may not come home at night. God bless them for what they do.

Buzz Knight:

Amen. You’ve had a career that has touched the musical spectrum in certain instances. Your time on Broadway. Obviously your first appearance in Hair. You’ve covered the work of Dean Martin and Elvis. Can you explain to me the feeling that with a movie or a franchise such as Criminal Minds, when you look at that first round of edits and the music’s incorporated to really bring the richness of each episode?

Joe Mantegna:

Yeah, the music is of vital importance. And we’ve been very blessed to have incredible music, especially with Criminal Minds. On all the 15 seasons we did initially, I thought that the music people did a really great job there. Because it was actually a brother team that was involved with that that were wonderful. And now with the new version, The Evolution, it’s a whole new music thing. But this is just as tremendous. And I know we have people who are very well thought of in the industry that we were able to get for this new evolution of the show. And yes, it’s very important. Both in film and in television. It plays a huge part. And when it’s done, it just is a huge asset.

Buzz Knight:

Where does your favorite music span personally?

Joe Mantegna:

God, it runs the gamut. I do love the whole… To this day I still love… Anybody who watches Criminal Minds. They saw that when my character got married around season around 14 or 15, I had Johnny Mathis as my best man, and that wasn’t by accident. Because he was somebody I’d been… I’d loved as a singer ever since I was a kid. And I loved the Rat Pack, that’s why I loved playing… Making that movie.

But I was also in a band in the ’60s, so rock and roll was big for me. The Beatles. I got to know Ringo in real life. And that’s why… Again, people who watch Criminal Minds. They notice on my desk as my character there’s a shot of me with Ringo that people would go, “Oh look, it’s David Rossi with Ringo.” Which in the storyline of the show is actually a possibility because of my character.

But anyway, it runs the gamut. I watched… As somebody who’s in the movie and TV business, I actually listen to music more than I watch television and watch movies. So music’s very, very important to me. And all different variations of it. Jazz, rock and roll, crooners. You name it. It runs the gamut.

Buzz Knight:

You have to tell me what an experience it was to be alongside Warren Beatty and play George Raft in the amazing movie Bugsy.

Joe Mantegna:

Oh yeah, that was great. Well, it was a great experience. Barry Levinson, first of all was a tremendous director. I got to work with him again in Liberty Heights later on. Warren is an incredible human being. Just very smart. Very giving. Lot of great memories just off camera. Spending time with Warren and the rest of the cast. Ben Kingsley was in that movie as well. Harvey Keitel. It was just a wonderful film. And again, I give Barry Levinson a lot of credit because I think he’s one of our great film directors. And I chalk that up as certainly one of my favorite experiences in doing a motion picture.

Buzz Knight:

You’ve worked with so many amazing people. Are there people that are on your wishlist to work with either in the future with Criminal Minds or with any other projects?

Joe Mantegna:

Well, as you said, I’ve been very blessed. I’ve worked with the best. I’ve worked with Coppola. I’ve done a couple pictures with Woody Allen. I’ve done David Mamet. My association with him over the years has been great. So I’ve been very blessed. There’s a lot of people I… You never know who you’re going to work with next. And it’s always a surprise. I’ve worked with some of the greats. Robert Redford and Cher. Runs the gamut of all different types of actors and actresses.

And I’d love someday maybe to get to work with Martin Scorsese. It would be a thrill because both being Italian Americans. He certainly is somebody I’ve admired all my life. That would be great. But I’m content with the way my career has gone and where it’s going to go. I never look too far ahead. My feeling is let’s see what happens tomorrow. I feel blessed for today and for all the yesterdays, so that’s really… I’m really one of the lucky ones. Without question.

Buzz Knight:

Well, I know you’re a Cubs fan at heart, and you’ve done work with the Bleacher Bums, and you look closely at the work of your Cubs. Any handicapping where the future of the Cubs will be? And did they do wrong with Ronnie Woo Woo Wickers?

Joe Mantegna:

Yeah, Ronnie Woo Woo. Oh boy. Yeah, he was a character. I conceived that play Bleacher Bums back in 1977. And Ronnie was certainly memorialized in that play as well and was part of an institution at Wrigley Field. But, yeah. Once a Cub fan, always a Cub fan. I even co-produce a show called Hollywood and Ivy where we interview Celebrity Cub fans. It’s been on the Marquee Network out of Chicago who carry the Cub Games.

It took us 108 years to get a World Series, and I’m glad I was still alive. And my mother, who lived to be 101, she just made it. She was 100 when they won that series, and they had been on a seven year losing street when she was born. So I think it’s hard for me to ask for more than that. In other words, hopefully the Cubs got a lot more World Series in their future, but if not, I’ll take the one I got since it took 100 years to get that. 108 years to get that.

Buzz Knight:

Trio Woo Woo. Trio.

Joe Mantegna:

Right.

Buzz Knight:

Listen.

Joe Mantegna:

Cubbies. Woo.

Buzz Knight:

I love it. It’s an honor to speak with you. I’m a major fan of your work, Joe. Congrats on Criminal Minds streaming on Paramount Plus. The great Joe Mantegna. Thank you for your time.

Joe Mantegna:

It’s my pleasure. Thank you.

Speaker 1:

Taking a Walk with Buzz Knight is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Buzz Knight is an established media executive with a long history of content creation and multi-platform distribution.

After a successful career as a Radio Executive, he formed Buzz Knight Media which focuses on strategic guidance and the development of new original content.