Joe Mantegna has been married for 46 blissful years to high school love who paused her career to support his. Joe Mantegna is an extremely celebrated actor and his nuptial to Arelene Vrhel is incredible.
He met Arelene when he was only in high school and ever since their love has bloomed into something fabulous.
The two were part of the same play while in the same drama club at school and a few years later, their relationship turned romantic. Joe attended Morton East High School in Cicero, Illinois, while Arlene attended Morton West High School.
They met again a few years later when the couple performed in a play at a theater in Chicago. At this stage of their lives, their relationship becomes romantic. Joe remembers that game, and he remembers it quite often.
Although the pair quickly realized that they were made for each other, they remained single for some time. The couple decided to get married in 1975 at the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
During this period, Joe worked on Broadway and tried to break into the small screen. And as anyone can imagine, it was not a pleasant transition. Arelene stands by him as Joe waits for the casting calls. She stayed by his side as the actor moved them to Los Angeles with all his possessions.
Joe finally got his chance with “Glengarry Glen Ross”. After his character in the film, he often got calls for bigger productions.
The pair eventually settled on a beautiful property in Toluca near Burbank, and Arelene took his side, devoting her time and determination to preparing her partner for more.
There are countless stories about their love and Arlene’s endless care. While Joe was once performing at the Goodman Theatre, he doesn’t remember his lines leading to a heavy silence. Arelene rushed to her husband’s side during a break in the show and gave him a big hug that helped him get through the rest of the show in style to be hailed as brilliant by critics.
Joe tries to express his gratitude to Arelena every chance he gets. He once said that outside of his immediate family, Arelene was the only one who fought with him. He went on to say that she was able to be part of everything, contribute to everything and see his dreams come true.
And as a relentless supporter of his partner, he made sure to take care of her as well. He helped her realize one of her visions of owning a restaurant in Burbank in 2003 called Taste Chicago.
The couple has been married for almost 50 years in 2022. Their journey has not always been smooth and has had its ups and downs. Joe said he didn’t mean life was perfect and never had a rough patch, but what they did was persevere. He went on to say that the longer you hold, the better.
The duo are also happy parents to two gorgeous daughters. Their daughter Gia Mantegna is a professional actress in her own right. The couple is also involved in various charities. Joe is also a representative of the National Military Museum.
The pair have built a wonderful life together and still love each other’s company as much as they did when they first met.