“Many More Responsibilities”: Joe Miñoso Discusses Cruz’s Evolution on ‘Chicago Fire’

It is one of the longest running shows on television, and it is equally very beloved by those who make up its dedicated fanbase. Chicago Fire is now into its thirteenth season, and the fire fighting procedural drama is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Joe Miñoso, who plays the beloved character, Joe Cruz, has been on board since the very start. Audiences have been privileged to see the character grow and evolve through the years. Speaking with CBR, Miñoso spoke about his character’s evolution, both in his personal and professional life.

An early part of Cruz’s personality in the show was the provision of comic relief alongside fellow cast member and friend, Yuri Sardarov, who plays the character Otis. “We have sort of parallel trajectories,” Miñoso told CBR. “Just because we happen to be the same age. I got married on the show like two years after I actually got married from the show; my wife is a former [Chicago Fire] makeup artist. I have so many more responsibilities and so many more people to look after and take care of now than I did before, when I just was an actor, kind of broke and working at bars and doing what I could to survive.” He goes on to add, “So in that aspect, you grow up. Every human being, you get into your 30s and 40s, and you’re like, well, I’ve only got about 30 or 40 [years] left. So you’re looking at life through a different lens.”

In recent episodes of Chicago Fire, Miñoso has been the center of attention due to his Flaco storyline. Having decided in the first season of the show, to let the gang leader, Flaco (José Antonio García) die in a fire. Cruz was faced with the prospect of his secret being unearthed, when Flaco’s cousin, Junior (Richard Cabral), emerged from prison and informed the firefighter he knew his secret. While some of his actions can be rightly called into question, Miñoso believes Cruz’s heart is in the right place. He explains:

“I think the best thing is how he’s still such a great, noble dude — but even more so, because now he’s a father and an adoptive father at that, and he’s moved his way up to where he’s pretty much on the cusp of becoming a lieutenant. There’s not many people that can say that they’ve had that much success in life, even with the demons that we’re about to explore in the next couple of episodes. He’s had a pretty charmed life and a lot of great opportunities have come his way.”

Joe Cruz is an Interesting Character to Follow

With the state of play in Cruz’s life, we are likely set to see a version of the character we have not seen in a while. His dealings with Junior, and his bid to cover his tracks will most likely illicit a different sort of mindset. Especially as he will seek to keep his secret away from “fire cop,” Taylor Kinney’s Lieutenant Severide. It is one of the gifts of the Joe Cruz, that the character can operate in different spheres, and Miñoso acknowledges as much. “And as an actor, I tell people I think I’ve got the best job in the One Chicago universe,” the actor explains. “I’ve gotten to play so many different facets of this character from so many different angles. Sometimes some characters get limited to just doing the dramatic arc or the romantic arc or the funny arc, and I’ve played in all of those sandboxes.”

Chicago Fire airs on Wednesdays on NBC. Stream past episodes on Peacock.