Joe Miñoso Talks Cruz’s Exit From ‘Chicago Fire’

SPOILER ALERT: The following reveals major plot points from tonight’s episode of NBC‘s Chicago Fire.

NBC’s Chicago Fire celebrated its landmark 300th episode tonight, and it was bittersweet. While there was a lot to celebrate, it also marked Day 1’er Joe Miñoso’s final episode in the firefighter drama after 14+ years portraying the beloved Joe Cruz. And even though the character may have moved on to Minnesota with his family, Miñoso has been shadowing directors on set with the goal of directing an upcoming yet-to-be-determined episode.

“It was ultimately an appropriately timed choice. I think that both the team and I knew it in one way or the other. And when the time came, it just kind of felt like, yeah. You know, 300 is such a good number. It is such a gift to say that I did five of these episodes, let alone 300-plus across the three shows. It was a bittersweet moment,” Miñoso told Deadline earlier this week.

“An hour after I found out, I heard there was an opportunity to direct if I wanted it. So it was very whiplashy. It was such an insane back-and-forth, but at the same time, it just felt very right. I’m excited to grow into the next chapter. I’ve been directing and producing for a while, some of my own stuff. So it just felt like a natural evolution,” he added.

Learn more about Cruz’s fate in Deadline’s recap of Episode 5, aptly titled “Three Hundred.” Below, read more about our chat with Miñoso.

DEADLINE: Cruz is usually the fun guy, so it was tough to watch him struggle this season. What was it like playing a different side of this character?

JOE MIÑOSO: It was a welcome challenge. I appreciate everything that these writers have thrown at me over the course of the last 14 and a half seasons. It has always been a surprise and a joy. Everything has its different difficulty level. I think back to the longest one-er we’ve done on this show, which involved Chloe [Kristen Gutoskie] in a crash and me kind of running through this giant wreckage. That was, in its own way, a tremendous experience as a performer, especially working in film. You know the elevator episode with David Eigenberg, which was us in an elevator. We filmed 30 pages a day, which is unheard of. It was like being in a play. There are so many things to be proud of, and so many moments that I feel like I’ve learned so much and I’ve grown so much, and that’s all due to the show.

DEADLINE: There was a powerful scene at the end of this episode where Cruz and Severide (Taylor Kinney) have a 1:1 conversation. What can you share about shooting those scenes with him?

MIÑOSO: It will forever be my favorite scene that I’ve ever had with him. I don’t think we’ve really had the opportunity to explore these two men on equal footing in a really intimate way ever. In general, Severide is a man of few words. He’s a stoic human being who doesn’t really share much of what he’s going through. We’ve seen Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) over the years chip away at that wall. But he was so vulnerable in that scene. So many of the things we were saying could have very easily been Joe and Taylor talking in terms of our history together on the show. And it was, and will forever remain. I’m really proud that we had the conversation in general, and we got to see a different dynamic between the two.

DEADLINE: Joe’s storyline this season felt very much like, if something major didn’t stop him in his tracks, he wouldn’t have quit 51. Do you agree that sometimes life has to make us uncomfortable before we realize that it’s time to move on?

MIÑOSO: Yeah, I agree with you. The decision was made for him when he saw that the family had reached a new level and that he was needed in a different way. What’s so brilliant about that is that the first real storyline we see for Cruz is him possibly sacrificing his entire life and livelihood for the sake of his brother by leaving a gang member to burn in a building. Technically, he gives up and decides to leave the fire department because he thinks he can’t get over his own guilt over what he’s done. It takes one of his brothers, Mouch [Christian Stolte], to convince him otherwise. So to go from that to a man who is willing to give up his identity after all these years, ultimately, for the sake of his family, feels like we’re kind of at the beginning. He’s just grown into a different position.

DEADLINE: As a fan, things were pretty touch and go. We were scared they would kill off Cruz.

MIÑOSO: That was discussed. That was one of the options that was thrown out there. I won’t say by who, but yeah, that was pitched. But to [showrunner] Victor [Teran’s] and the writers’ credit, they decided that they’d rather go through this more emotional arc. I was honored by that because it was a big responsibility. It’s a large weight to carry, and I’m so glad they trusted me.

DEADLINE: That final moment when Cruz visits Otis’ [Yuri Sardarov] memorial was very emotional for me as a viewer. What did that scene mean to you?

MIÑOSO: That scene was actually my suggestion. There’s so much for the writers to think about when they’re writing for 9k characters and 20 million plot points to deal with. A lot can go under the radar. I just felt like we really needed to put a period on that relationship. They’re so intertwined, and he has still been such an integral part of Cruz’s life. It’s so obvious that Cruz is cleaning this memorial all the time. Now he’s passing those duties on.

The fact that the last words that Yuri says on the show are “I will be there with you always, brother,” and the opportunity to reflect on that felt like something that would not only honor the character but also the fans that have been with us for so long. I fell in love with those two as a team. That scene was hard to film. As I told the director, I want this to feel hopeful. I want this to be about the love of these two brothers, and I don’t want it to be sad. I don’t know that I’m going to be able to get a take without crying, because it was just so loaded. Yuri and I are still remarkable friends. We’re talking now more than ever because we’re in the middle of trying to get this rewatch podcast off the ground.

DEADLINE: Tell me about the podcast.

MIÑOSO: It’s brand new. We’re really just in the beginning phases of seeing if we can make something work. We just want to be able to celebrate the show and the friendship that we’ve built for the world.

DEADLINE: Did you tell Yuri about Otis being represented in your final episode?

MIÑOSO: Yes, I told him that there would be a moment. We were actually hoping that we could figure out how he could come back. But it felt right. I think this gives you the opportunity to miss Otis that much more. There was a moment where I maybe threw something out like [Otis] is the guy that gets Cruz out of the burning building. We had explored something like that earlier last year during our Halloween episode, where Cruz comes across this random old dude who is never seen again, and we allude to the fact that he was a ghost.

DEADLINE: Would you like to share any parting words for the fans?

MIÑOSO: Thank you forever. I recognize that the success of any character or any show is always driven by the people who watch it. I so appreciate you all giving me the opportunity to live in this guy’s skin for so many years. It doesn’t go unnoticed by me how important your support for the character has been, and I’m forever grateful to all of you for letting me enjoy this for as long as I have.