Joe Miñoso (Joe Cruz on Chicago Fire)

Summary

One Chicago Podcast: Joe Miñoso (Joe Cruz on Chicago Fire)

Date: May 7, 2026
Host: Brian Lucci
Guest: Joe Miñoso (Joe Cruz, Chicago Fire)

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Episode Overview

This episode of the One Chicago Podcast features Joe Miñoso, who has played Joe Cruz since the very first episode of Chicago Fire. Host Brian Lucci (a former Chicago cop and now producer on Chicago P.D.) dives deep with Miñoso into his personal story, his journey from the Bronx to Chicago and Hollywood, his theatrical roots, and his unique and evolving role on the show. The conversation is candid, warm, and full of behind-the-scenes anecdotes offering listeners a heartfelt look at both the craft of acting in "One Chicago" and the community behind it.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

Joe Miñoso’s Roots, Identity, and Name (05:33–08:25)

• The Bronx Upbringing: Miñoso proudly shares his Bronx background, jokingly adopting the nickname “Joe the Bronx.”

  "Yeah. You know, born and raised. Absolutely." (06:10, Joe Miñoso)

• The Tilde in ‘Miñoso’:
  • Early in his career, Miñoso dropped the tilde (“ñ”) from his surname for simplicity and at others' suggestion.
  • The loss of his mother and sister and growing into a family elder inspired him to reclaim his full identity.

  “I was like, it's my responsibility now to carry this culture. And I was like, I'm not living...I wanted to honor my mom and my sister...by bringing that tilde back into the name.” (07:40, Joe Miñoso)

  • He began insisting on the correct spelling and pronunciation from season 9 onward, a nod to his heritage and representation of Latinos on screen.

Landing the Role of Joe Cruz (08:36–13:31)

• The Audition Story:

  • Miñoso had just moved to L.A. from Chicago after “Snowmageddon” (2011). He was jobless, signing a lease in LA the very day he got the audition.
  • Auditioned originally for “Timothy Hayes” and was elated to learn he’d be driving the fire truck.

  “I was broke. I was on unemployment...I get the call from Chicago...I was running around the living room pretending to drive a fire truck.” (10:14, Joe Miñoso)

  • He discovered his character would be named Joe Cruz at the first script read-through.

• Preparation:

  • Real-life firehouse tours and training with Steve Chikarotis helped ground his performance.

The Power of Chicago Storefront Theater (14:06–15:31)

• Theater Influence:
  • 10 years in small, intimate Chicago “storefront” theaters shaped his approach to acting, fostering adaptability, humility, and discipline.

  “It was 10 years of that, man...You do a play, you get paid, like, 75 bucks a week, and then you find some other way to...pay the rent.” (14:20, Joe Miñoso)

  • Remains connected to his theater roots and Teatro Vista, a leading Latino theater company in the Midwest.

The Evolution of Joe Cruz (15:31–17:38)

• Character Growth:

  • Miñoso celebrates the versatility and depth he gets to explore: from comedic bits (e.g., Zumba instructor) to heroic action, marriage, and fatherhood.

  “I think I have explored more facets of the character than most people get to...Who has grown that much in 14 years?” (16:24, Joe Miñoso)

• Personal Connection:

  • Points out the parallels between Cruz’s maturing responsibilities and his own personal growth, especially embracing family and leadership.

Art Imitates Life: Joe’s Personal Journey (19:19–21:24)

• On-Screen and Off-Screen Parallels:
  • Miñoso met his wife (a Chicago Fire makeup artist) on set.
  • Describes Cruz as braver and bolder than himself; acknowledges how long-term roles blend actor and character traits.

  “Cruz is far braver than I am...characters steal traits from their actors, and then you live in a character long enough, and the actor steals traits from them.” (20:38, Joe Miñoso)

Defining Scenes & Dark Moments (23:24–30:49)

• Formative Storylines:

  • Season 1, Episode 6 (Thanksgiving): pivotal for establishing the series’ heart and Cruz’s place in it.
  • Cruz’s brother’s gang storyline and the fateful decision to let gang leader Flaco die (S1E16)—an unusually dark arc that nearly led to Cruz’s departure.

  “They thought there was no way [execs] would approve...but he [Steve Chikarotis] was like, ‘I think that’s incredible. What a storyline.’” (27:19, Joe Miñoso)

• Memorable Emotional Acting:

  • Discusses the intense “confessional scene” with Mouch, which became a turning point for Cruz and for himself as an actor.

  “I did not anticipate that I would get that emotional...Somehow that might have been what saved my career...Every season, there was always, like, all right, we're gonna make Joe cry.” (30:49, Joe Miñoso)

Funniest and Most Emotional Moments (37:15–40:32)

• Darkest:
  • The confessional scene and the death of Otis (Yuri)—both personally and professionally wrenching.
• Funniest:
  • The infamous Zumba storyline, and prepping Mouch for a date in Season 1, which involved heavy improvisation and the unique comedic style of Christian Stolte (“Mouch”).

  “Christian can make serious funny and funny serious. Like, Christian can do everything. It was hard to get through that.” (40:18, Joe Miñoso)

The Backstory of Joe Cruz’s Zumba Side Hustle (40:52–43:15)

• Origin of Zumba Plotline:
  • Came directly from Miñoso’s own Zumba instructor experience, pitched to Dick Wolf at a dinner.

  “I was like, actually, you know, Dick, I've been thinking, you know, we don't see what Cruz does as a side gig, and it'd be pretty hilarious if he was a Zumba instructor. And he stares at me and he goes, that is funny.” (42:00, Joe Miñoso)

Season Highlights and Crossovers (43:27–47:25)

• Favorite Recent Scene:

  • The season’s big airport crossover event—described as “a movie set,” immersive, challenging, and a powerful display of the show’s scope and camaraderie.

  “When we first showed up to that airport, I was like, this is a movie set...we nailed the crap out of that crossover.” (43:30, Joe Miñoso)

• Chicago P.D. Crossover:

  • Miñoso went undercover on Chicago P.D.—a unique experience among Fire cast members. He describes the PD set as “intense” and likens crossovers to “visiting your cousin’s house with different toys.”

  “Usually I'm doing something that I wouldn't be doing on our show...that is what's fun about it.” (46:09, Joe Miñoso)

On Directing and Editing (49:03–51:25)

• Transition to Directing:
  • Recently directed a short film. Loves the comprehensive creative control and is fascinated by editing, which he sees as “where your movie’s made.”

  “If I would have discovered editing earlier, I probably would be an editor...It’s amazing how much they can expand on such a little bit of scope.” (49:11, Joe Miñoso)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On reclaiming identity:
  “I realized I was the oldest Latino in my family...it's my responsibility now to carry this culture. I wanted to honor my mom and my sister...by bringing that tilde back into the name.”
  — Joe Miñoso (07:40)

• On his character's journey:
  “I have explored more facets of the character than most people get to...I felt like, who has grown that much in 14 years?”
  — Joe Miñoso (16:24)

• On the unique joys of acting:
  “Characters steal traits from their actors, and then you live in a character long enough, and the actor steals traits from them.”
  — Joe Miñoso (20:38)

• On the power and challenge of ‘wonders’:
  “Those moments, man, those wonders...it's like a dance, and it's so choreographed...It gives me tingles just talking about.”
  — Joe Miñoso (33:17–33:41)

• On the impact of the ‘Crotis’ (Cruz + Otis) relationship:
  “Yuri was and is still a brother. And like losing him was super, super hard because...we were sort of a package deal.”
  — Joe Miñoso (37:59)

• On fun with the cast:
  “In between every take, I laugh. I'm guaranteed...I'm counting the minutes to see how long before I'm doubled over laughing.”
  — Joe Miñoso (35:04)

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Highlighted Timestamps

• Joe Miñoso on identity, family tragedy, and heritage: [06:44–08:25]
• Landing the job and audition tales: [09:06–11:01]
• The theater years and early career hardships: [14:06–15:31]
• Defining the Cruz character, handling big emotional arcs: [16:53–18:32]
• Intersection of personal and professional growth: [19:24–21:23]
• Diving into the darkest scenes: [23:24–30:49], [37:15–40:32]
• Origin of Zumba subplot: [40:52–43:15]
• Crossover and production challenges: [43:27–44:50]
• Directing and editing fascinations: [49:03–51:25]
• Rapid-fire Q&A: [51:25–55:07]

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Rapid Fire Segment (51:31–55:07)

• Wolf show character crossover wish: Tracy “Upton” Spiridakos from Chicago P.D. — “So tiny, yet so big...I feel like she would fit in our show.”
• Which character to run into a burning building with: "Sevride...he can get out of anything."
• Which character to trade places with for a day: "Bowden...the gravity of that man is incredible."
• Best real-life Zumba instructor among cast: “Jocelyn, because she’s an actual dancer…but I bring that Latino flair.”
• Fellow actor who could be an actual firefighter: “David [Eigenberg] is just reckless enough…and wired in a way that, like, he could actually do the gig.”
• One-word for season finale excitement: “Structure” — promising a new, unique narrative technique.

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Closing Thoughts

Miñoso and Lucci share a heartfelt appreciation for the family-like cast and crew, celebrating their growth, hilarious moments, and the privilege of portraying such resonant, authentic stories for over a decade.

“Today I became closer to you…This podcast is a gift to us…and I can't thank you enough for coming and just being real.”
— Brian Lucci (55:37)

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Listen to this Episode for:

• Nostalgic and behind-the-scenes storytelling from an original series lead
• Reflections on culture, loss, and identity in TV and real life
• Unique insights into the cross-pollination of Chicago Fire, Med, and P.D.
• The joys and demands of long-running television ensemble work
• Surprising origins of the funniest and most heartfelt moments on Chicago Fire

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For anyone wanting to understand what has made Joe Cruz—and Joe Miñoso—such enduring parts of the One Chicago universe, this episode is a must-listen, filled with laughter, honest emotion, and hard-won wisdom from the front lines of local TV legend.

Transcript

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[Brian Lucci]

Hey, I'm Brian Lucci, and this is the official One Chicago podcast.

[Podcast Producer/Director]

Action.

[Brian Lucci]

We are racing towards the season finales for the One Chicago shows, and I know you're as excited as I am. As the season flies by like this, it's easy to forget just how far we've come and how much incredible TV we made. From everyone in front of the camera to everyone behind, we are super grateful for being part of this amazing creative family. And today on the pod, I got one guy who hasn't taken a step of this for granted. He's one of the originals on Chicago Fire, a man who goes all the way back to the pilot episode.

[Joe Minoso]

Joe Cruz, we've been waiting for you. Really great. So, Peter Mills, is it? Pete, Actually, I. Okay, Peter Mills, Right this way.

[Brian Lucci]

That's right. Today we're talking to Joe Cruz, AKA the handsome and hilarious Joe Munoso. I always suspected Joe was a good guy, but it turns out I didn't even know the half of it. We're gonna hear about his background in theater, how much he loves the city of Chicago, and most of all, how much he loves playing Joe Cruz.

[Joe Minoso]

I have done episodes where, like, a mazumba instructor, and then I've also gotten to, like, lift the chimney off of Taylor to say, you know, like, with just using my brute force and then get married and have children. And now I am like a father of two and who has grown that much in 14 years.

[Brian Lucci]

We'll dive into an exclusive conversation with one of the coolest personalities in all the wolf world who's actually three Joes in one. Joe Mioso, Joe Cruz, and Joe the Bronx. I ain't Joe Kin around. You'll see what I'm talking about when we come back from this quick break. Don't go anywhere. Foreign.

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[Brian Lucci]

Hi, I'm Brian Lucci and this is the official One Chicago podcast.

[Joe Minoso]

Oh my God, that was so sexy.

[Brian Lucci]

Wait, wait, it gets better. And you're the New Yorker. Today our guest is an OG actor on an OG series. We're talking 290 plus episodes. We're talking about a man who's been there since day one. Well, not just a man. He's a Firehouse 51 super fireman. Welcome Joe Minoso or Joe Cruz. Or like I want to tell everybody, Joe the Bronx.

[Joe Minoso]

Oh man, I love that nickname. Joe the Bronx.

[Brian Lucci]

I love it too.

[Joe Minoso]

I. I've never heard that before. I hope it sticks. You start spreading that around.

[Brian Lucci]

I'm going to start. I didn't know you're from the Bronx. Yeah.

[Joe Minoso]

Yeah. You know, born and raised. Absolutely.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah.

[Joe Minoso]

I love Kingsbridge and Sedway.

[Brian Lucci]

I was talking to Jason Begay. I said, I get to go talk to Joe Minoso today. And he's like, he's from New York. You do know that? Because Jason's New York.

[Joe Minoso]

Yeah.

[Brian Lucci]

100 screams New York. I said, I hate those New Yorkers. Yeah. Because being a cop, the New York cops are always cooler than us. They got better uniforms. They would come down for, like, St. Patty's Day. Like, it's just. We're the second city, Let me put it that way. So Joe Minoso. Menoso.

[Joe Minoso]

Yeah.

[Brian Lucci]

Welcome. I also noticed you got hair on your. On your end. What is that?

[Joe Minoso]

Testosterone? It's. And they can. You know, it's like, overwhelming. I can't control it. It just grows out the end. No, you. No. I mean, there's a tilde over the end of my name that's always been there. That's like, actually my name. But when I got into the business, you know, there's a lot of advice about. Nobody will really know what that is. Not to mention, you know, you try finding how, like the tilde on a bunch of applications, you know, like, it's impossible. They don't exist. Like, you can't just easily throw that piece of hair on top of the end. You know what I'm saying? But I decided back, season nine, I think it was, and the whole, like, the whole George Floyd summer and all that stuff. And just in general, like, once I started realizing. Cause a lot of Latinos come up to me and they're really proud of, you know, who I play and what I'm representing as a Latino on this show. And I was like, I'm not really living in that enough, you know. And then my mom and my sister, they passed away kind of within two years of each other. 20, 20 and 20. No. No worries. No worries. Of course, you know, had life. Then I was like. I realized I was like the oldest Latino in my family. And it was like, it's like my responsibility now to carry this culture. And I was like, I don't. I'm not living. You know. And so I wanted to kind of honor my mom and my sister and just kind of, you know, who I am as a human being in this world by bringing that Tilda back into the name.

[Brian Lucci]

You didn't use it originally. Cause it was hard to get jobs

[Joe Minoso]

or people told you, you know, well, first of all, like, it's like, no. They just. No one knows how you say it. So it's like, so they say Minoso no matter what. And so it just became easier to just let the Tilda slide for a while. But like, now that I actually, I guess my name is somewhat known, it's good to be able to kind of represent it the way that it should be.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, it's known. I mean, think about that. 290 plus episodes that did descended this year. You're about to go into 300, you know, so you're.

[Joe Minoso]

Knock on wood. I mean, yeah, absolutely.

[Brian Lucci]

Okay. You were on the ground floor of the one Chicago universe.

[Joe Minoso]

I was in the first shot of the pilot.

[Brian Lucci]

Listen to this. Day one, season one of Chicago Fire, which is incredibly badass. Like, you guys are the mother ship that start. I got a job because of it. Steve Chikarotis hired me. We started Chicago pd. We got the Chicago men and. All right, where were you when you got that call? And what was the audition process? Like, if you could tell me both of those things.

[Joe Minoso]

So at that point, I had actually just gotten out to Los Angeles because I don't know if, you know, back in 2011, there was this little incident known as Snowmageddon here in Chicago, where all of Lakeshore Drive got turned into a parking lot. I was driving on Lakeshore Drive that night, and that was. I actually made it off before it became a parking lot. But as I'm driving and I can't see two feet in front of my face, I'm like, I'm done with this town. Like, you know, I've been here for 10 years already.

[Brian Lucci]

You went to college here? I went, yeah.

[Joe Minoso]

Went to Northern, graduated in 2004. And then I had been here since 04. You know, work in theater, doing a lot of, like, bartending jobs and like bouncer jobs and work in theater for like 75 bucks a week. And then I was just like, I can't take this cold no more. I can't take this. Screw this snow. Done with it. And I gave away everything I owned. I packed two bags, I moved to la. And then like two months to the day, I booked Chicago Fire. Like, I was on somebody's couch. I was like couch surfing. As a matter of fact, I had just found the apartment I was going to move into in Los Angeles, signed the lease the day that I got the audition.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, my God, that's an awesome. How do you have money? How did that. Did you just pack it?

[Joe Minoso]

I was broke. I was on unemployment. You know what I mean? Like, I was collecting unemployment. There were no prospects. Then I get the call from Chicago. I get the call from Mickey Pascal, who was part of Red Nikki casting. And she's like, there's this show, it's a firefighter show, it's a Dick Wolf show. They want to see you for this role. And at that point I was auditioning for Timothy Hayes. And all I remember about Timothy Hayes was that he walks into the locker room with Beats headphones on, listening to Mo Money Mo Problems by Jay Z. And then I got the call like two, three hours later that they wanted me. And I was like running around the living room pretending to drive a fire truck. Cause all I knew was like, timothy Hayes drove the truck. And I was like, I'm gonna drive a fire truck. Like losing my mind. Like I was.

[Brian Lucci]

What's the name of that position? It's an engineer on the fire department.

[Joe Minoso]

Well that's technically like the engineer is on engine. Like he runs engine. But yeah, no, he's just the driver. And I actually had a whole fit with Chikarotis about that. Cause it was like there were these guys, you know, so Chikarotis.

[Brian Lucci]

Steve Chikarotis, who's a producer on the show, one of the guys who first came, he's our Brian Luch. Like he's kind of like the older and better looking.

[Joe Minoso]

Both of those things are very true. But yeah, I mean, probably one of the most noble, you know, like legit men you've ever met in your life. Like, he's like such an incredible guy. But yeah, no, he. I would go up to him. Cause I would see all these dudes that said engineer on the back of their gear, you know, and they were always the guys driving and he was like, truck guys don't have that. Like, it's like that's actually a dude. And I think he just said that to make me feel better. Cause they didn't want to spend the money on the extra letters.

[Brian Lucci]

So you're in Chicago, you leave for the great storm that I got stuck in as a policeman in 2011.

[Joe Minoso]

That's right. We're actually in the. We are currently celebrating our 14 year anniversary of the pilot like we filmed from like March 12th through like March 25th, I think 14 years ago.

[Brian Lucci]

So you, they tell you you got the job, you did the audition, you're all excited. You take your same two plastic bags, you get rid of that apart.

[Joe Minoso]

There were suitcases, but yeah, yeah.

[Brian Lucci]

So you fly back here. Yeah. Steve Chikarotis, does he take you in firehouses? Does he train you go to the

[Joe Minoso]

firehouse and we're in one of the, like, little briefing rooms in the firehouse, and he's just kind of like, me and Yuri are sitting there, and Yuri's got the biggest mop of hair I've ever seen on a human being. And, like, a beard. And I'm like, wow, that guy got cast like that. That's amazing. And we, you know, check. Immediately starts kind of talking about the history of the fire department and what it is to be a fireman. And. And then, like, I go in for a fitting. Mind you, I'm riding my 10, speed around. Like, it's like, to get to all these places.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, God, I love this thing.

[Joe Minoso]

And so, like, you know, I come down here, and they gotta put me into the fittings and all this stuff. And we do a fitting and everything. And then we had the read through here. And then when I go into the room, I'm looking around. Cause at that point, my name is Timothy Hayes.

[Brian Lucci]

You don't look nothing like a Timothy.

[Joe Minoso]

Correct. And so, like, so I'm looking around for Timothy Hayes. Cause, you know, everybody's name is on the. Like, you know, it just says the character name in front of the script. And there's no chairs left except for this one that says Joe Cruz. And I'm like, well, I guess I'll sit here, you know? And that's how I found out my name was Joe Cruz on the show.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, that's awesome.

[Joe Minoso]

Yeah. After the read through, there was a dinner, and it was basically just Dick Wolf saying, you know, if this goes the way I plan, your kids are gonna be working here when you retire. And that's already happened on our show. We've actually had that experience where, like, people have retired and their sons and daughters are now on our sets. And it's like, that's insane to believe.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah, there's. There's drivers whose. Their sons are now drivers on the Teamsters. And we call them set babies. We. We got a bunch of. We got a bunch of guys that had kids, and the kids come and visit us. And now the next. My daughter was six years old, running around.

[Joe Minoso]

She's 19.

[Brian Lucci]

Okay. I hear you were a big storefront Chicago theater guy. Can you please tell us how that impacted your approach to acting? And. But first of all, can you tell people what. What this Chicago storefront thing is?

[Joe Minoso]

Yeah, I mean, it's kind of. Your storefront theater is exactly kind of what it sounds like. It's like these little tiny theaters, you know, that set, like, a hundred people. And sometimes you're Walking through the set to get to your seat, you know, so it's like, once you get there, sit down and don't move, because otherwise you're going to go right through the middle of the play. But, yeah, it was 10 years of that, man. Like, it was, you know, and. And it grew. Like, it's like, I'm not going to pretend that, like, that all I did, like, I was lucky enough to eventually get myself, you know, working at the Goodman, at Looking Glass. Excuse me, Chicago Shakespeare. You do a play, you get paid, like, 75 bucks a week, and then you find some other way to kind of, you know, pay the rent while you're doing that play. So for me, that meant working bar jobs and, you know, being a bartender, I worked. God, I worked like, four or five years at Kitty o' Shea's downtown in the Hilton Chicago.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, really? Yeah.

[Joe Minoso]

And, man, that was a Chicago experience.

[Brian Lucci]

Do you still see some of those people that you did those plays with the storefront, or is it just.

[Joe Minoso]

I mean, you know, I was a member of Teatro Vista, which is the largest Latino theater company in the Midwest and still is going strong. And, you know, they're constantly doing stuff. I have not been as involved with them just because, you know, just the timing.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, I love that. Okay, you've gone on record saying you have the best role in the one Chicago universe.

[Joe Minoso]

Correct.

[Brian Lucci]

What's so great about playing Joe Cruz, and why do you have the best role?

[Joe Minoso]

Because I get to do. I think I have explored more facets of the character than most people get to. You know, I think, like, for example, you look at Taylor, you look at Sev Wright's character, and that guy has a very, very specific sort of narrow course that he has to maneuver. You know, he's a leader. He's kind of a loner. He's a quiet guy. You know, he's really intense. And you very seldomly to see outside of that pocket. You know, same with Herman. Like, it's like, you know, he's this crotchety old guy, and he lives kind of in the same universe. Like, I have been able to be a complete clown. Like, I've done episodes where, like, a mazumba instructor.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, yeah.

[Joe Minoso]

You know, like. And it's. Which is ridiculous. That's insane how that even became a thing. But, like. And then I've also gotten to, like, lift the chimney off of Taylor to say, you know, like, with just using my brute force and, like, go through burning buildings and then get married and have, like, all these scenes with my wife. And then have children. And now I am like a father of two. And so it's like I really, I felt like, who has grown that much in 14 years?

[Brian Lucci]

All these things they keep throwing at you.

[Joe Minoso]

And it's like. And there's just so many different facets of the character that I've gotten the opportunity to play that I don't think everybody gets the opportunity to do.

[Brian Lucci]

And you're proud of it and.

[Joe Minoso]

Oh, I'm so proud of that. And I think that in general, like, it's like, you know, like we're working in very specific worlds, right? Like, PD is a very specific universe. And there are certain ways that you like that you guys go about kind of relaying the information of the episode and the story to everybody. And it's like. And each character has their own kind of way of delivering that. And I feel like my guy has been able to do so many different things. You know, I started out on truck driving the truck, and now I'm on a whole different company, you know, like. Yeah, which thankfully I, you know, when I joined squad, I discovered golf. So that really changed everything. That, that, like, it really made me like a middle aged white guy.

[Brian Lucci]

So how would you say Joe Cruz has grown most over the past 14 seasons?

[Joe Minoso]

I mean, definitely as a father, right? Like, it's like, I think when we first met Joe Cruz, literally the first scene is about him busting the candidate's balls along with his other young, naive firefighter friend, Otis. My name is Peter Mills. I'm the new candidate on 81. Oh, fantastic. Joe Queen, we've been waiting for you. Really great. So Peter Mills, is it? Pete? Actually, I. Okay, Peter Mills, Right this way. So Jim's through there. There's a TV in the kitchen, but satellite's busted. Equipment room, rescue squad A holes. Think they own that table. Kitchen towel. Hey, Otis, this is Peter Mills.

[Joe Cruz (Character Voice)]

Yeah, I'm giving a tour.

[Joe Minoso]

Peter Mills is our new candidate.

[Joe Cruz (Character Voice)]

Peter Mills, she's all yours.

[Joe Minoso]

It was just such an incredibly special time. And so I think he's gotten to really a. He knows what it is to be a leader now. Like, he is often the acting lieutenant when Sevright is off being fire cop, that's what we call him. And so in that way he's grown in the fact that he's a father and a married man and is responsible for a family now is a huge amount of growth for him. So, yeah, I would say he's just. He recognized his responsibility and I think he knows how to like proudly take it on now that's good.

[Brian Lucci]

How has Joe Minoso grown as an actor and as a person over the past 14 seasons?

[Joe Minoso]

So I don't know if this is art imitating life or vice versa, but kind of the same, right? Like, it's like I met my wife on this show. She was a makeup artist for five or six seasons. Here she came in an awesome human being. When we first started dating, sometime early on season two, we do this big train fire in Union, Illinois. And it's like basically a week where we're all out there staying at a Holiday Inn with this Bennigan at the bottom, you know, and it's like the show's picking up some steam. So we're all watching it at the Bennigans together and all this stuff. And me and Murphy are, you know, that's my wife's name. We're, you know, doing our little flirt, flirt thing. And. And it's like one in the morning and we all gotta get to bed, man. Cause we're waking up at 5:30 to, you know, get ready for the next day. And Jesse, Spencer and I and Murphy are all just sitting on this bench in the front of the hotel. And I'm just. All I know is I'm not going to bed. Cause I'm not letting this guy take this girl away from me. There's no way this Aussie is getting in the way of me with this girl. Cause it was like, I mean, we immediately hit it off, man. It's gonna be 10 years. We're gonna be married 10 years this October.

[Brian Lucci]

October. How much of Cruz is in Munoso? And how much of Munoso is in Cruz?

[Joe Minoso]

God, that's such a. Yeah, I saw, I saw this. Your episode with David Eigenberg. I saw you ask him this question. I was like. And he was like, pretty good for David Eigenberg. And it's like I have no idea how to really answer it because I guess it's like a 50 50. But I would say there's more of me in Cruz and less of Cruz in me. Cruz is far braver than I am. I think he's way more of a stud than I would ever be. Like, it's like I'm a nerd for the most part. You know what I mean? And I like sitting on the couch and Cruz is like, he wears his heart on his sleeve, man. There's no hiding what he feels. There's no pretending he's 100%.

[Brian Lucci]

That's what I love about it.

[Joe Minoso]

And he's like, if he's gotta cry. He cries. If he's gotta fucking yell, he yells. And I would say I'm more reserved than that. I would say I'm a little bit more patient than he is, but for the most part, yeah, man. I feel like characters steal traits from their actors, and then you live in a character long enough, and the actor steals traits from them.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, that's beautiful.

[Joe Minoso]

And I would say, like, you know, talk about ball busting, right? Like, it's like, that is something that I did not grow up with. I did not know how to do that. I did not know how to take it in and let it go like I would, you know? And so, like, I remember two, three days into us doing this thing. David Eigenberg sees me coming with my bike, and I'm wearing this helmet, you know? And back in the day, they made cheap bike helmets, and they were enormous. They were like football helmets. They were so ridiculous. And David Eigenberg, I'd like, pull up next to him, and I'm like. He was like, where you going? He's like, I'm going home. And he just keeps staring at my helmet. And he goes, you know, they make those in your size now? And like, I was so, like, weirdly offended and like, oh, my God, I'm so embarrassed that I'm wearing this ridiculous helmet that I went with my no money on my bike because we didn't get paid yet to go buy, like, a new nice helmet.

[Brian Lucci]

He got you, right?

[Joe Minoso]

He immediately made me feel so crappy about myself. And, you know, now 14 years later, I know how to throw it right back at him. But it's like, I was raised by women, man. There were no real men in my life. So it's like, you know, that. That universe, that world of kind of ball busting, which, God, I cherish.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you got real good.

[Joe Minoso]

And I'm. Yeah, I'm not too bad at it. Yeah, it's. It's like that. It was. That by itself has been such a gift for me in these 14 years.

[Brian Lucci]

Wow. You did better than Eitenberg did answering that question. What, are you crazy? Let's talk about what defines Cruz as a character. Like, what was the very first scene you really felt like you understood who Cruz was and how you were going to play him.

[Joe Minoso]

Yeah. No, Flaco, Right? I don't think that anybody.

[Brian Lucci]

We got to talk about. Yeah.

[Joe Minoso]

I don't think everybody. I don't think the writers knew who this guy was for a while. In general, it feels like season one, episode Six, which was a Thanksgiving episode. I think that's where the show kind of found its heartbeat. Cause there was this last monologue that was given by Yuri Otis, who had started a podcast, and he was just kind of talking about what it is to be a firefighter. And it was over this montage of interconnecting storylines. Like, I remember watching that and being like, man, that's our show.

[Joe Cruz (Character Voice)]

There are days you want to pick up your helmet and you want to chuck it in the lake. Some days, you get to see things that no one gets to see. A wife grateful you dragged her husband to safety. A grown man dripping like a faucet because you saved his son. And every once in a while,

[Joe Minoso]

you

[Joe Cruz (Character Voice)]

get to see a baby take its first breath in the middle of a 10 car pile up with lights and sirens, and a whole group of firemen just standing around, just clapping till it hurts. Those are good days. You want to know what I'm thankful for? I'm thankful because I have two family. Families. And not too many people can say that.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, it hit you. Oh, yeah, yeah. You know, and we do it right now.

[Joe Minoso]

There's those moments, man, you know, where you just sit and you watch an episode or you watch a scene, and you go, man, there's no denying that's great.

[Brian Lucci]

So. So. So I interrupt you.

[Joe Minoso]

That was the scene. But. Well, I mean, that's the episode that I saw, you know, Like, Cruz doesn't really take off as a character until, like, episode eight or nine. And that's when we discover his brother is part of a gang. And then. And then the rest of the season, I think it's like episode 16 basically ends with me confessing to Mouch in the turnout room that I let this guy die in this burning building, which was Flaco, who was the leader of the gang that my brother was associated with.

[Brian Lucci]

Great scene, man. Yeah.

[Joe Minoso]

And he would. You know, and it's like, the guy wouldn't let him go, and he wanted this bribe. It just so happened, you know, fate being what it is, that of course, I walk into the room where he's, like, engulfed in flames, and the decision is, you know, do I let him live or die? I mean, you know, and I just kind of close the door behind them and I walk away. These scumbags, the insane kings, you know, he's nothing like him, but they got their hooks in him, and they weren't gonna let him go. When I was in that building, I was checking floors there. He was your Flaco. He was.

[Joe Cruz (Character Voice)]

Let me stop you right there. If you're about to say what I think you are, then you and me can walk right out this door down to the police station. Second option is you sleep on this one more time. Think about why you did it.

[Joe Minoso]

That was a huge deal, I remember, for Derek and Michael Brandt. Cause they actually flipped a coin to figure out who was gonna tell Steve Chikarotis about that. Cause they thought he was gonna hate it. They thought there was no way that he would approve this storyline where a firefighter leaves somebody to die in a burning building. Because how is that going to make a firefighter look? You know? And so Derek, I guess, got the short straw, and it was on Derek to figure it out and tell him and. And Chick, you know, he's listening to this, and then he just basically goes. I think that's incredible. I think what a storyline. Like, it's like, you know.

[Brian Lucci]

Right.

[Joe Minoso]

Cause it's.

[Brian Lucci]

It is.

[Joe Minoso]

It's. Cause the whole show's about family.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah.

[Joe Minoso]

And so, like. But it's a show.

[Brian Lucci]

But it's a show.

[Joe Minoso]

It's not a show. Absolutely. And I don't think that, you know, I think we all understand that it's a drama. Right. And so. But, boy, did it inform for me.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, God.

[Joe Minoso]

What this guy is capable of doing, you know, what he's willing to do it for. And that's when I kind of knew. I was like, oh, I know. I see who this guy is.

[Brian Lucci]

I'll tell you what. When I had to do my homework, when they said, we're going to hire you to be the tech advisor, back in the day, before I was producer and all that. Watch Chicago Fire the first season. Like, I had to watch it all. When you're upstairs and you let him die and you close the door, I'm like, this some dark shit.

[Joe Minoso]

Yeah. No, that was a leap. That was a leap show to be like, you know, we're going to.

[Brian Lucci]

We're scared.

[Joe Minoso]

Well, and what's. Apparently that was going to be the end of the character. Like, you know, Michael Brand then comes back to me and he's like, no. Oh, yeah, yeah. Like I said, they were like, you know, how do you redeem this guy? You know, like, he might be an irredeemable character. There may be no way to continue with this guy. So they were gonna let him go. And then it was like, you know, I did this scene where I just kind of have to make the decision as to whether or not I'm leaving the fire department. And it's like, basically a really quiet scene in a church where this priest is just kind of basically speaking aloud. My inner thoughts. And I decide to, like, leave the fire department. I take my jacket off. I, like, throw it in a donation bin. And then I think that maybe Michael saw something, and they were like, you know, I think we wanna keep him around. And then they wrote the whole confession with Mouch, and Mouch kind of forgiving me. And, like, that kind of is what. What led to.

[Brian Lucci]

Cause you couldn't tell the other lieutenant because the other lieutenant didn't want to hear that.

[Joe Minoso]

And he knew. He sort of knew, but he was like, but if I know. No, then I know, and I can't fucking deny it. And so that was incredible. I mean, God, Jesse Spencer, my God, he was such a stud. But, yeah, I think the fact that they. I don't know, they saw something in me worth keeping.

[Brian Lucci]

This is who defined you.

[Joe Minoso]

What a gift.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah. You know, Cruz gets some really painful and dramatic storylines. Like your brother in the gang, like, the violence, like when the poor Yuri died. Oh, my God. I cried during that. When he said to you in Russian,

[Joe Minoso]

oh, my God, you're my brother. Yeah.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, I had to look it up. And. Oh, dear Lord. And some funny stuff, like being the Zoom instructor that you alluded to earlier. Do you like being tortured with the heavy emotion, or do you prefer, like, the fun stuff?

[Joe Minoso]

I like it both. Right. It's like I said, this is why I have the best role in the one Chicago universe, because I get to do it, all right? I get to be ridiculous and do, like, stupid takes and, you know, and, like. And just have fun. But at the same time, that offers a whole different kind of, you know, artistic itch, like, to be able to kind of play in something that intense. And I think it's. And I. You know, quite frankly, I think in a lot of ways, being. Okay, so the scene that I was talking about, the confessional scene with Mouch, I did not anticipate that I would get that emotional. Like, I learned the lines. I did. You know, I practiced it at home or whatever. And then we got into this space, and it was so claustrophobic, and the camera was, like, a foot away from my face. Reza Tabrizi, our current director, was the one behind the camera at that point, and I got the greatest actor of his generation right next to me.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, my God.

[Joe Minoso]

It was, like, such an intense moment, and I was. I think I was so racked with nerves that I just exploded, like. And he just. I just started crying my eyes out. And I think somehow that might have been what saved my career. My, like, what saved the role, you know, like. Cause then progressively after that, every season, there was always like, all right, we're gonna make Joe cry.

[Brian Lucci]

Make Joe cry.

[Joe Minoso]

We're gonna make Joe cry. You know, and thank. And that's why I thank Kathryn Gately, because that's where I learned how to unlock that stuff, you know?

[Brian Lucci]

So you. You brought up Reza, who's the directing producer now, and he was the camera guy way back then. Yeah, yeah. He's out. So he. He. You gre reza.

[Joe Minoso]

Oh, 100%. And boy, man, talk about growth. Like, what Reza's capable now is unbelievable. And I think to this day, he has done some of our most interesting shots. And, you know, he's trusted me a lot with some of the bigger things that we have to do. Like when my wife gets in this big car accident, and there's like, to this date, the biggest oner we've ever done. Like, I mean, you know, there was the.

[Brian Lucci]

People don't know what a oner is. Some people.

[Joe Minoso]

So a oner basically is one continuous take that really never cuts away from the action. And it's the only time that Reza was like, I'm not gonna shoot anything else. This is gonna be what it is. And it involved every single person in the fire department and, like, 20 cops and like, 20 different bystanders. And we have to basically run through this entire incident until I find my wife at the very of all of these cars crashed on a freeway. And to design that alone is such a skill. But then to be able to kind of be the person who has to make that work. Cause it's everybody, right?

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Joe Minoso]

Those moments, man, those wonders. It's like, I think about the pd. There was that. I don't remember what season it was, but you guys did this revolving.

[Brian Lucci]

And the interrogation.

[Joe Minoso]

Interrogation piece where, like, you know, the actors were, like, hiding behind the camera under the table. And that thing would turn under the table, and they would jump up. And that scene, man, holy crap, did that excite me. I got chills thinking about it right now, because it's like, that's the kind of stuff that it's like you can get up and you can say a line, and a camera can be there, or you can be an acting partner with the camera and with the other actors. And it involves everyone. And it's like a dance, and it's so choreographed.

[Brian Lucci]

It's a dance, It's a song, and

[Joe Minoso]

it's so much fun. It's Such a blast. And it's like. And it heightens you, right? Like, it's like you gotta be strong, sharp, you know, it's kind of like playtime. It's kind of like the Bears, right? It's like, it's like 4th and 10. You got to make it, you know, like the 4th and 8 that Caleb made. Right? Like, it's like you got to make the take.

[Brian Lucci]

No cut.

[Joe Minoso]

And you got to go there's. And there's no stopping. And there's no. Like. Oh, wait, what was that line? Like, you got to do it.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah.

[Joe Minoso]

And that stuff, man. Oh, God. Like, it gives me tingles just talking about.

[Brian Lucci]

That's the euphoria of acting.

[Joe Minoso]

Yeah, 100%.

[Brian Lucci]

Our cast and our crew had that euphoria with that scene where everybody was just so proud of each other. Our. Our first. Our camera. Steady camera. A operator. Who is Victor Macias. He did it like, he did it with all these people twisting around with him. And I'm like, man, you did a good job. He goes, yeah. What about the grip? Paulie, behind me, right, Demas, Right. Who navigated through. What about all the people that were open up doors that no one knew in this invisible stuff? Like, you just said, you had a hundred firemen, you got all these coppers, you got these steel machines. Right, right. That you're navigating through. And I bet you it was on a crane.

[Joe Minoso]

Actually, it was all a steady cam shot.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, my God.

[Joe Minoso]

It was all a steady cam shot that was operated by who is now our dp, but Will Eichler, who you

[Brian Lucci]

guys had on Will Eichler was one of our camera. Another brilliant guy.

[Joe Minoso]

Another brilliant.

[Brian Lucci]

Okay, so you answered it. So you love the heavy, you love the medium.

[Joe Minoso]

What? I mean, what is there not to love on this job?

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah.

[Joe Minoso]

Right. Luch. I get something every day. There's some new thing, and the thing is that you guys don't get to see. But in between every take, I laugh. I'm guaranteed. And there are some days when I see, like the. When I see on the call sheet that it's every single one of us, top to bottom for the whole day.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah, you're gonna be.

[Joe Minoso]

And I go, I know it's gonna be a great day. And I'm counting the minutes to see how long before I'm doubled over laughing. And sometimes it happens like, you know, 20 minutes into the Today.

[Brian Lucci]

We gotta take a quick break, but stick around. Joe Minoso has more incredible stories right after this.

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[Brian Lucci]

And just like that, we're back going deep with Joe Miosa, AKA Joe Cruz Cruz on Chicago Funnel. All right, what's the darkest scene for Cruise that you remember and what was the funniest?

[Joe Minoso]

Okay, so we've talked about them. I mean, you know, obviously probably that confessional scene with darkest. Darkest for sure. Like I gotta see it.

[Brian Lucci]

I didn't see it.

[Joe Minoso]

Yeah, that's season one, episode 16 maybe. And that probably, I don't know, maybe not. Cause also Otis death was, you know, that was pretty brutal. And that was over days actually, I have to say that just because there was a personal component to it. Look, I know you're going up to a better place than.

[Brian Lucci]

And

[Joe Minoso]

I know when you get there, they're gonna welcome you with open arms. Maybe you could save us a place to live up there together, you know, I'll be there someday. I love you, brother. I love you and I'm gonna miss you. Yuri was and is still a brother. And like losing him was super, super hard because it was like that's when truck really started to fall. That's when I the, you know, like Charlie left in season three. But then like when Yuri. Yuri and I, you know, we were Sort of a package deal. Like, there was a scene where we actually, like, ship ourselves. You know how, like, shipping names. That was a thing back then. Like, it's like there was a whole scene where it was like, you know, I asked him if we want to be roommates, and. Cause back then, shave a ride was the thing. Cause it was Shay, Leslie, Shay, and Sevride, and. And so it was like everybody was saying, shave, ride everywhere. And so in the scene, I say something like, you know, look, I know everybody's all obsessed with shave ride, but Crotus could be a thing. And, like. And so. And so it's like they wrote it in, like, immediately they knew. You know, there's this story about the first time that we read through the script where apparently, Dick Wolf, while we were doing a scene, he and I together. Cause Yuri and I were sitting right next to each other. He apparently pointed to the two of us. It was like, those two got something going on over there.

[Brian Lucci]

The chemistry. Yeah.

[Joe Minoso]

Yeah. So that would probably be the darkest,

[Brian Lucci]

funniest

[Joe Minoso]

man right now. The first thing that's coming to mind, outside of the obvious thing, which is the Zumba storyline that everybody asks me about, is season one. I had to, like, help prep Mouch for a date. And it's like me and him sitting just like you and I are in the briefing room, and we got, like, it's set up like it's a little fake dinner, and he's, like, asking questions. And meanwhile, like, you know, the peanut gallery of Jesse, Spencer and Yurio, to start her off, and Charlie are all there adding their two stickers.

[Brian Lucci]

And Mouch is seriousness.

[Joe Minoso]

And Mouch. And Mouch is Christian. Is Christian, man. Christian. Christian can make serious funny and funny serious. Like, Christian can do everything. And, like, it was hard to get through that. That was one of the funniest things I ever had a chance to do. That was great.

[Brian Lucci]

All right. Cruz talks about his family, but we don't get to see much of him at home as a husband and as a dad. Can you let the fans in on any details you added to Cruz's life outside the firehouse or made up yourself or basically, how is Joe in your mind at home? And I like to say, who is Joe, Daddy?

[Joe Minoso]

Okay, well, I guess, you know, the Zumba thing is me. That's. You know, that came from season three. And, you know, those big dick Wolf dinners that we always have at the beginning of every season. And so at some point, everybody's always like, where are we gonna sit at these dinners? Right? And it's like, I swear to God,

[Brian Lucci]

you just nailed it on the.

[Joe Minoso]

Where am I gonna sit?

[Brian Lucci]

I should have sat with the NBC people.

[Joe Minoso]

Who am I gonna end up with? And then, you know, somehow I end up sitting right across from Dick Wolf, right? And this is the first time in three years that it's like, oh, man, I'm gonna have to have a real conversation with this guy. Like, I don't really know what I'm gonna say to this man. He's like. And so, you know, we start talking, and I don't really remember how Zumba comes up specifically, but he says, oh, he asked me, so what were you doing before the show? And I was like, well, I was a Zumba instructor. Cause I was. I had just gotten my Zumba instruction license. And he was like, zumba, My wife does that. What is that? And I was like, oh, it's kind of this dance aerobics thing. And, you know, it's mostly Latin music, beats. And then. I don't know why this occurred to me, but I think I was just so nervous, I needed to say something. I go, actually, you know, Dick, I've been thinking, you know, we don't see what Cruz does as a side gig, and it'd be pretty hilarious if he was a Zumba instructor. And he stares at me and he goes, that is funny. And then across the room, you see this bald guy, and he's like, this kid Zumba.

[Brian Lucci]

It's good.

[Joe Minoso]

And Matt Olmsted gives me a look of death. It's like, now I gotta figure out how I'm gonna write a Zumba scene into a firefighter show. Like, how does that make sense? But it ended up being a huge hit hit.

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[Joe Minoso]

You're going to love it.

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[Joe Minoso]

All right, ladies, who's ready to sw. Oh, here we go. Hey, Tina, can you take over for a second? Who said you? Nobody. Who knows? Nobody. You mean to tell me that you just came to a Zumba class in Pilsen on your own? I live here. Well, you're just gonna have to leave right now. But this is the best rated Zumba class on Yelp.

[Brian Lucci]

All right, we're gonna take. We're gonna look back at this season because everyone wants to know, okay, looking back, what's one of your favorite scenes that felt most powerful to you when you filmed it this year?

[Joe Minoso]

The crossover.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, God, I love crossover.

[Joe Minoso]

Was so good, right, man? Like, I mean, it's like, you know, we put in and our portion of the crossover, man, when we first showed up to that airport, I was like, this is a movie set. Like, it was so expansive. There were so many rigs. We had like 200 extras. It was such a production. And then I feel like our crew, man, just, they really nailed whatever this crazy toxin that they put in that plane and how it killed people and like seeing them up close and personal with the foam coming out of their mouths and like the crazy red, like

[Brian Lucci]

on a plane we rented or whatever

[Joe Minoso]

we, or Canada or whatever the hell it came from. You know, it's so seldom that you get to feel that immersed in a world and there was just nothing else around. You know, we were on this tarmac and it was just like us ass biting gold. All these gears. It was the most cold we've had in years. Like, you know, and then of course they want to douse me with a fire hose. You know, like, it's like they changed it though, right? They had to, they had to. Like, it's like, you know, the soap was freezing on us like as it hit our bunker gear when we were trying to do it the actual day. And then they were like, this isn't going to work. We got to come back. Thankfully it was only 20 degrees that day, but yeah, that was by far. I think, like we, I think we nailed the crap out of that crossover.

[Brian Lucci]

You guys killed it and then all of us.

[Joe Minoso]

I think it was one of our best as a, as a team.

[Brian Lucci]

No, I do too, bro. I, I, I remember like we had scenes in the hospital and you know, when you're reading it, you're, you're a little afraid, are they going to let somebody go? Like, at what cost is this coming in? And I'm like, I love all the actors on all three shows and I'm wondering, oh God, are they who they. Then I see you and you're in the hospital bed. You know, you're going, this don't make sense. This guy's a hero. Like what happened to him? You know? Cuz you went into the plane with.

[Joe Minoso]

Yeah, we were the first ones in, me and, and then Macy, who was a Girls on Fire first time candidate who she's unfortunately the one who passes. And then Holt, who actually Holt we all know comes back.

[Brian Lucci]

Right?

[Joe Minoso]

Like it's like, so he makes it and so we get to kind of explore sort of the PTSD of what happens in that call. So that, but he's a, that kid's a great actor, man. It was great to have him back.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah. The crossovers out okay in the last 14 seasons. You really got to do almost everything, right. You even got to go undercover with us on PD back in season seven, which I don't think any other firefighters ever got to do.

[Joe Minoso]

And then you've never brought me back.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah. Yeah. What'd you like about the PD world, though? Because we'll bring you back.

[Joe Minoso]

So intense, man. You guys are so intense. Like, it's like, you know, it's like I always say, it's like anytime you go to these other shows, it's like going to your uncle's or, like, your cousin's house.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah.

[Joe Minoso]

And they got, like, different toys than you do, and, like, you know, they just. They act certain different ways, and it's like. And they laugh at different jokes, and. And then you. You start to realize, oh, maybe I'm a little bit too big for this room, you know, like. But it's like. I think it's just the nature of what you guys film. But that, you know, I mean, God, Marina's so great. Laura, everybody. The whole. That it's. I mean, what don't I love, man? It's like, usually I'm doing something that I wouldn't be doing on our show. You know what I mean? Like, that's. And I think that that is. Is what's fun about it. And just the vibe, like, in the crossover, like, when Tracy and Sparadakatus. Sparadochitus. Yes, absolutely. Upton, for those who are into character names. When she came back for the crossover, and, like, there was that whole scene where it's her and Mouch and Stella, and they're all just talking like they've known each other for 20 years. And it's like, what a gift, man, that we, like. We don't even gotta talk about. We don't gotta set up the world. Everybody knows the world. So we just go in, and it's like, oh, wow. These guys have known each other forever. Like, that dynamic, like, that kind of stuff. The stuff that. It's like, where it's this kind of interconnectivity between the shows where you can tell that everyone has just been around with each other forever. Dude.

[Brian Lucci]

A director explained to me one time, I was watching in a bullpen, and I just seen him, and he. He kind of was, like, in, like, it was, like, euphoric. And I'm like, what's up with this guy? Like, he. And his mouth open, and he was breathing. I was like, this is the weirdest feeling in the world. He goes, that's the best music you'll ever hear. Luch. And I'm like, what do you talk? Because he's seen me looking at him. He goes, all of those actors have lines, but to me they're notes. And each one of them are playing a different instrument. And each one of them know when to jump in on an instrument and when not to and when to lay it in. It's just a beautiful. And when you put all three shows together, it's a, it's an orchestra. What's the hardest you've ever laughed on set?

[Joe Minoso]

I know you're all, that's impossible. I, I, I. And I don't know that I could even say what it is, cuz it's probably too inappropriate for a podcast. Like, no, that's not true. But God, pretty much any day that I get to spend with Christian Stolte, I'm going to laugh really, really hard. Yeah, really, really hard. Like, he will always find a way. Like, the guy's so quick that there's times now where like, and cap, Randy Flagler, we'll look at each. Like he'll say something or we'll say something and he'll have some retort about it that's just so, like, brilliant. And it's immediate, right? Like he just throws it out. Like, it's like, did you rehearse that at home?

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah, yeah. Witty, witty.

[Joe Minoso]

How were you ready for that? That we just kind of look at each other like in hatred. Cause it's like at this point, it's like, my God, this guy is just so fast. It's like, how does he do it?

[Brian Lucci]

How does he do it? All right, you're a director now too. This is what I mean. I saw you have a short film premiere last year. Did you always wanna direct?

[Joe Minoso]

No. Yeah, I think, I think I just started to feel like the great thing about directing, especially when you're doing kind of smaller projects that you're kind of, you know, producing on your own is like you sort of get to have your hands in every facet of the piece, right? You get to decide what they look like, you get to decide what the sets look like. You get to decide what the angle of the camera looks like. And so it really does become about you doing, putting your hands in everything. And I love it. You know, like, it's like I always tell people, if I weren't an actor, if I would have discovered editing earlier, I probably would be an editor. Really? Because I think that's where your movie's made. Like, I think, you know, there's so many things that you can do in an editing room. I've learned this because of Chicago Fire. You know, I've gotten a chance to go sit in those editing rooms, and it's like, you look at a scene and they're like, yeah, but we feel like this scene is really more about. This is completely made up, but it's like, you know, we feel like this scene is really more about Hanako, but on the day we really shot it, like, it's supposed to be about Jocelyn. But then you go back and they're like, okay, well, let's see what else we can pull. Maybe there's more reaction shots. Maybe there's more. And then the scene and the tone of the scene and who the focus of the scene is on is totally different just based upon how you structured six series of shots. Wow. And I find that incredibly fascinating. Fascinating.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah. We. I got a shout out to our guy. Terry Bly is our, like, head editor. And we had Arthur Forney.

[Joe Minoso]

Oh, God, incredible.

[Brian Lucci]

Who's just like, you want to hug him when you see him. The big bear. Yeah, the. They used to call him the Butcher of Burbank.

[Joe Minoso]

Right.

[Brian Lucci]

You know, and I call them Arthur Scissorhands.

[Joe Minoso]

Even better.

[Brian Lucci]

But everything you gave him, like, he could turn into a montage, you know, like, everything you gave him, like, he created this. We never seen it from that angle.

[Joe Minoso]

Or, like.

[Brian Lucci]

Like, you just articulated so well. Yeah, I. I wish I could do what Terry. What Arthur could do and what they could do.

[Joe Minoso]

That's some visionary stuff, man. You know, because it's like. Because you're not working with what's in the tank. You know what I mean? What? It's all. It's. You already got what you got, so you're only. You can only do so much. But it's amazing what. That. How little. How much they can expand on such a little bit. Bit of, you know, scope.

[Brian Lucci]

Okay. We like to, like, kind of tip these things at the end to what a thing we call rapid fire.

[Joe Minoso]

Fantastic.

[Brian Lucci]

And the pun is intended as we could say. I'm going to ask you a series.

[Joe Minoso]

What do you call it when one of the, like, PD people are here? Rapid fire. But you're shooting.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah, we call it rapid PD or some. It's something witty, let me tell you, but it.

[Joe Minoso]

A rapid P. It's like a long.

[Brian Lucci]

A strong. They call it stats for the medical people. All right, here we go. I'm going to ask you a series of questions. You have to ask. Give me a spontaneous answer as quick as you can.

[Joe Minoso]

I'm Going to do my best.

[Brian Lucci]

Joe, if you could bring any character from any Wolf Entertainment show. I'm talking Law Order, SVU, FBI, other Chicago shows, etc, onto Chicago Fire, who would you choose and why?

[Joe Minoso]

I mean, if I'm going to be real. Tracy. Yo, Tracy.

[Brian Lucci]

Huh?

[Joe Minoso]

Tracy Spradakis is like, first of all, what a beautiful woman.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, you're gonna. She's gonna. Her heart's gonna melt.

[Joe Minoso]

Secondly, what an incredible human being. So lovely, so charming, so easy to be around, so easy to talk to, and. And, like, so tiny, yet so big, you know?

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah, yeah. Don't mess with her.

[Joe Minoso]

What a powerhouse, man. And it's like, I feel like she would fit in our show. Like, I could see her being a firefighter or a paramedic or, like, I think she would be, like, a perfect fit.

[Brian Lucci]

Joe, which Chicago Fire character would you most want to run into a burning building with and why?

[Joe Minoso]

I. Man, I guess. I guess Sevride, right? Like, this is a car. You're saying character, not actor.

[Brian Lucci]

Character.

[Joe Minoso]

Yeah, Sev. Right. I mean, you know, like, it's like the guy is, like, the most proficient firefighter that we have. You know, he can get out of any. Anything.

[Brian Lucci]

He's the king. Huh?

[Joe Minoso]

He's the king.

[Brian Lucci]

Joe, if you could trade places with one Chicago Fire character for the day, who would that character be and why?

[Joe Minoso]

Serious, regular, or. Any character.

[Brian Lucci]

Any character.

[Joe Minoso]

I mean, it'd be kind of fun to be Bowden. It'd be kind of fun.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Joe Minoso]

You know, but it's like. But I can't. I don't. I don't know if I can carry that man like that.

[Brian Lucci]

You got the job.

[Joe Minoso]

That dude is such a. It's like the gravity of that man is incredible. Gravitas. Yeah, that gravity.

[Brian Lucci]

You got 14 years in you.

[Joe Minoso]

You.

[Brian Lucci]

You're a veteran now.

[Joe Minoso]

I guess so. I guess so. You know, it's fun because it's like the last couple of scenes I've done have just been with everybody 45 and up, you know, Like, I'm not like. Like Hanukkah and Joselyn and Brandon and Miranda, they're off in their own young world doing young scenes, and I'm here, like, sipping on tea and eating oatmeal with Christian and David.

[Brian Lucci]

You're with the cast from Cocoon. Joe, which of your fellow castmates would be best for an actual Zumba instructor?

[Joe Minoso]

Oh, Jocelyn, because she's an actual dancer.

[Brian Lucci]

You gave it her?

[Joe Minoso]

Yeah, yeah. Like, I mean, you got to give it to her, like, could say. But. But I Don't know. I feel like I, I feel like me, bro. I feel like I would bring, I would, I, I, I, I, I bring that Latino flair. Yeah. You know, nobody got the salsa like me.

[Brian Lucci]

No. Joe, which of your fellow actors would be the best actual firefighters? And you can't pick the regular ones, right?

[Joe Minoso]

I know I can't pick Tony. I hate to say this, but I think David. I think David is just reckless enough and just, just. And wired in a way that, like, he could actually do the gig.

[Brian Lucci]

And he trained like we.

[Joe Minoso]

That's what, you know, he talks about how he goes all the time. Like, it's like, I haven't been to that training facility in 14 years, man. Are you talking like I, they put me in through that burning building once and I was like, I get it.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah, yeah. I don't need.

[Joe Minoso]

I get it. And it sucks.

[Brian Lucci]

All right. Closing things out without spoiling anything. In one word, what's something that excited you about the finale? I'm only giving you one word.

[Joe Minoso]

Um, I wanna say it's like how we're telling the story, but I don't know how to say that in one word. You know, like, it's like the structure of the story is very unique to our show.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, good.

[Joe Minoso]

And I think we get to see a lot very quickly. And it's a really exciting, exciting sort of new way to explore how we're telling stories.

[Brian Lucci]

And Rez is directing that.

[Joe Minoso]

Rez is directing that.

[Brian Lucci]

All right. So the one thing I like to say is, like, they, they put this together to let the people out there in the world, like, hear us, you know, behind the scenes and see how it is. But I have to say that I'm fortunate enough to say, like, today I became closer to you. You know what I mean? Like, I. This is, this podcast, a gift to, like, a lot of us. And I hope they appreciate it. And I can't thank you enough for coming and, you know, just being real,

[Joe Minoso]

like, like, oh, dude, my pleasure.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah, this was awesome.

[Joe Minoso]

It's like I, I'm a little upset that, you know, I got the dark studio room instead of the big fancy set that Jocelyn and David and all those guys got together, you know, But I get it, you know, you, like, you ran out of the good looking people. Audio only at this point. Thank you.

[Brian Lucci]

What about me? They put me in the dark for 18, so thank you very much. Heaven sent. I really appreciate you.

[Joe Minoso]

The pleasure was mine, brother. Thank you for having me.

[Brian Lucci]

Boy, do I love talking to that man. Thanks again to my friend Joe Munozo. I hope we could chat again real soon. If you want to know what Joe thinks is so cool about Chicago Fire season finale, tune in next week to see how it all goes down. Let's just say buckle up baby and check out all the season finales of all our One Chicago shows next Wednesday on NBC and anytime on the Peacock you don't want to miss it. That's a Lucci guarantee. Once Chicago airs on Wednesday night at 87 Central on NBC and you could stream it on Peacock. The One Chicago Podcast is a production of Wolf Entertainment and USG Audio. The series is hosted by me, Brian Lucci. It's executive produced by Dick Wolf, Elliot Wolf and Steven Michael at Wolf Entertainment, Josh Block at USG Audio and John Yell Kastner at spokmedia. Our showrunner is Derek John, our producer is Maggie Debrizzi and our audio producers are Jason Mark and Kelly Kauf. Video production by Bo Delmore, coordinating production by Tess Ryan. Our production assistant is Montserrat Rodriguez with engineering and mix by Evan Arnett and original music by John o'.

[Joe Minoso]

Hara.

[Brian Lucci]

This series is produced by Spoke Media and distributed by Realm. Production Support for USG Audio by Josh Lalonghi I'm Brian Luch. Thanks for listening and we'll see you all soon.

[Joe Minoso]

Cut

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[Brian Lucci]

The war

[Podcast Producer/Director]

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[Brian Lucci]

us in the dark.