Joe Mantegna has spent nearly two decades living inside the mind of David Rossi, long enough for the character to become much more than an FBI profiler. Since joining Criminal Minds in 2007, Mantegna has taken Rossi from cynical veteran and true-crime author to mentor, father figure, team leader, grieving husband, survivor—and, most recently, a man forced to confront the psychological scars left by Elias Voit.
In conversation with Awards Buzz’s Sari Cohen, Mantegna looks back at the moment he first realized he had something special with the character, the unforgettable UnSubs and storylines that have stayed with him, and Rossi’s complicated relationship with Voit.
Check out our interview on Season 19 of Criminal Minds.
