Los Angeles --- The debut of "Cars 2" as the # 1 film at the box office continues Joe Mantegna's winning ways. He can add this success to being on one of the top rated network TV shows , "Criminal Minds" and being part of the longest running animated series , "The Simpsons."
The Chicago native answered a few questions about his sucess ... and diverse ... career that ranges from the "The Godfather: Part III" to "Baby's Day Out ."
Question : Would being the voice of a Gremlin ... The AMC car and not a creature that shouldn't be fed after midnight ... have been your first choice of voices ?
Mantegna : I had this conversation once with Warren Beatty when we were doing "Bugsy." We were saying , "If you were a car , what kind of car would you like to be ?" Joking , I admit , we were probably ribbing each other a little when I said I would probably lean toward Italian ... A Ferrari , Lamborhini . It kind of fits.
Question : Then why do you tend to pick German cars to drive ?
Mantegna : I think it's because I was the voice of Mercedes-Benz for seven years .
Question : This isn't your first voice work . You have provided the voice of mob boss Fat Tony on "The Simpsons" for 20 years.
Mantegna : It's my longest running character by far. I've been told I've done more episodes than any recurring character on the show . I did the voice in the third season and it was supposed to be for only one episode . Fat Tony became one of Springfield's most popular characters so they kept bringing me back.
Question : Those have been fun jobs . You joined the cast of the dark "Criminal Minds" in 2007 when Mandy Patinkin departed . Do you go home a frazzled , emotional wreck after a day on the set ?
Mantegna : What people don't tend to understand is the experience of working on stuff doesn't necessarily parallel to what the material is about . When I'm making "Criminal Minds," as grim as the material is , the atmosphere on the set is not like that at all . You are talking a family-like atmosphere where we all like each other and have a good time . It's only those moments when you are doing the material that it gets heavy and serious . I am spending far more time on a set being Joe than I am being David Rossi.
Question : Can you talk about the next year's "Criminal Minds?
Mantegna : A.J. Cook will b e b ack in the fall . And, there's a chance that Paget Brewster , whose character had gone into hiding near the end of last season , could return.
Show: Criminal Minds -airs 8 p.m. - Wednesdays - CBS
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