"Criminal Minds" Extra Pressure "A Good Thing" Says Joe Mantegna
By Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith
Mar 12, 2008
Joe Mantegna reports that since his "Criminal Minds" series returned from its strike-induced production break, the team has been putting in extra hours, including Saturdays, "to put us back on track. We're under the gun, but it's a good thing. To tell you the truth, I don't mind it. I like this pace. There's a saying that we work for free and they pay us to wait. For every minute you're on camera, you spend 59 waiting. That's not the case here. There's not a lot of waiting, which I appreciate, especially coming from theater."
"Criminal Minds" Extra Pressure "A Good Thing" Says Joe Mantegna (Image: Wenn)
The show returns with seven new episodes beginning April 2. And, according to Mantegna, the show has "been picked up already for the next season. That's the game plan, let's say. We'll take a short hiatus and do extra episodes to catch up."
The well-liked star came aboard the show partway into the current season, replacing Mandy Patinkin, who asked to be released from his series commitment. As far as concerns about "Criminal Minds" running out of steam, Mantegna says, "There's always that unknown factor, and you just hope for the best." He felt right at home on the drama about FBI profilers, however, since series producer Peter Schindler had previously worked on Mantegna's "Joan of Arcadia."
"When he went to do this new show called 'Criminal Minds,' I didn't realize they took half of our show's crew with them. The first day I joined up on this set, there were literally half the guys and girls from 'Joan of Arcadia' -- transportation and all these other departments. Thomas Gibson I knew from charity golf tournaments. It's a great group. Honest to God, I couldn't be happier. I feel I've hit the jackpot."
A CHANGE OF PACE: "Phineas and Ferb" voice regular Alyson Stoner is hoping her big-screen dramedy "Alice Upside Down" with Luke Perry, Penny Marshall and Lucas Grabeel will become a film franchise for her. "It was based on an award-winning series of books by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, and I got cast to be the main character, which was a great opportunity to try something more dramatic," says Stoner, who plays neighbor Isabella, the leader of the Fireside Girls in the Disney Channel hit "Phineas and Ferb."
She says "Alice Upside Down" "follows a girl through her teen years growing up without a mom. It's a great cast. Lucas Grabeel plays my brother, Luke Perry my father and Penny Marshall my teacher. We just went to a film festival and it got a comedy award, but the stretch for me was just going more dramatic, for kids and everyone to see that I have a little bit more range."
With reports by Stephanie DuBois and Emily Feimster.
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