Joe Miñoso has been a cornerstone of NBC’s Chicago Hearth since its inception, bringing depth, humor, and coronary heart to the character of Joe Cruz.
Through the years, Cruz has advanced from a lighthearted, Zumba-loving firefighter to a devoted household man and seasoned Squad member with profound stakes at play.
Miñoso’s portrayal has persistently captured the stability between Cruz’s vulnerability and his fierce loyalty, making him a fan favourite within the One Chicago universe.
On this unique interview, Miñoso displays on the distinctive alternative of revisiting a storyline from the present’s very first season.
The Flaco arc, initially a defining second for Cruz, comes full circle in Chicago Hearth Season 13, providing a deeper exploration of his character’s psyche.
With Cruz now a husband and father, the stakes have by no means been increased, as his protecting instincts lead him into harmful territory.
Past the gripping storylines, Miñoso highlights how Cruz mirrors his personal life journey, from private progress to evolving obligations. For Miñoso, taking part in a noble, expressive Latino male in a lead function isn’t just a profession spotlight but additionally a profound accountability.
As he gears up for a monumental crossover occasion, Miñoso’s ardour for Cruz and the present’s legacy shines by means of, promising followers an unforgettable season forward.
One of many coolest issues about this collection being on for thus lengthy is that you simply get to revisit storylines. What was your response to the Flaco storyline type of coming again round? That was Season 1, I consider.
It was certainly Season 1. I used to be blown away, frankly. I used to be actually impressed and happy with the writers for taking up the problem of attempting to determine reinvestigate a narrative from a dozen years in the past and attempt to try this in a brand new and fascinating approach.
And I actually really feel like they pulled it off. So I hope that we did it justice. I used to be so blissful to open up most likely Cruz’s largest plot gap and lingering unanswered query for him.
So yeah, it was superior. And it was so superior to do. It was nice to lastly put it on its toes.
Yeah. I like Richard Cabral. He’s unbelievable. I loved seeing the 2 of you collectively onscreen.
No, that dude. And he was on the present in Season 1. And he technically didn’t play the identical character.
However in my thoughts, feasibly, he could possibly be taking part in the identical character in my thoughts. He’s the man who ended up holding a knife to Hermann’s throat within the finale of Season 1. And he’s simply type of a generic man there.
To have the ability to say, no, that was truly Flaco’s cousin from season one, who acquired arrested, like, proper after that fireplace. And he’s been in there for a dozen years. Makes a variety of sense to me.
However he’s an unbelievable, unbelievable actor. And it was every part I might do to simply sustain with him. He was actually wonderful.
So Cruz, after all, has far higher stakes this time round. He’s married now, has a toddler, and he’s in a unique level in his profession. Are you able to contact on his mindset and the way he handles this new, scary improvement transferring ahead?
You already know, drastically.
At the beginning, above something, Cruz is an individual who will shield his household at any danger, at any value, actually, particularly for his personal life. He’s way more involved about caring for the individuals he loves than he’s about caring for himself.
I believe you’ll see him make a bunch of unsmart choices for him personally, all within the effort to maintain his household secure.
Sure, I do know the synopsis teases that he makes a “satan’s cut price,” which I believed was a very nice flip of phrase there. How a lot bother can we anticipate Cruz moving into and the way lengthy earlier than the others begin noticing?
I believe he will get himself into essentially the most quantity of bother he presumably might. And there might be no approach that the remainder of the firehouse received’t discover out.
You’ll study in a short time on the finish of Episode 9, starting of Episode 10, there might be no hiding this secret anymore.
And in order that’s going to sort of develop extra intensely. And also you’re going to get to see what occurs when that Pandora’s field will get opened at 51.
Proper. And there’s a unique vitality now with Pascal as an alternative of Boden.
You already know, I don’t suppose that Boden can be a lot better. That is fairly massive. Steve Chikerotis, who’s our head technical advisor, has a narrative that he loves to inform about after they first pitched him the thought of killing off Flaco.
It was like Michael Brandt and Derek Haas needed to flip a coin to see who was going to inform him as a result of they had been so afraid that Chik was going to hate the thought due to how it will make a firefighter have a look at the tip of the day.
However he was like, “No, are you kidding me? It’s like this might be like such a dialog starter.”
And I don’t know anyone who, in the event that they actually needed to face that second the place they’re like, OK, effectively, right here’s a possibility to avoid wasting my household’s life. Who wouldn’t do it, you already know? And so I believe it was such an thrilling step for them to take.
It was such a daring transfer and resolution to make in our first season and to come back again round in Season 13 and be capable to put an exclamation level on it, to say the least. It was among the best presents you’ll be able to have as an actor.
Talking of, how do you are feeling your character has advanced from the start till now? And what are you most happy with?
Typically, I’m most proud about having the chance to play a Latino male who doesn’t have an issue expressing his emotions and is in each approach a noble human being searching for the perfect pursuits of his household.
I believe that we not often get to see this in TV and movie.
And to have the ability to sort of tackle that character has been by far the best pleasure and accountability of my life.
And the way has Cruz advanced over time?
In a variety of methods, the identical approach I’ve, you already know, prefer it’s like we’re the identical age just about.
In my ten years, I’ve gotten married. I’ve a mortgage. I’ve 4 canine. I’ve way more individuals to consider and care for than I ever did once I first began this job.
I believe it’s the identical for Cruz. I’ve cherished seeing him evolve. Cruz was like a Zumba teacher, goofball firefighter for the primary three years. After which he joined squad, and that was an enormous glow-up. After which he acquired married.
I inform individuals I’ve the perfect function within the One Chicago universe as a result of I’ve gotten to take action many various issues and play so many sides of this character. I don’t know what else to ask for, frankly.
What are you able to tease in regards to the massive crossover developing and the remainder of the season?
What I can tease is that I don’t suppose it’s a crossover. I believe it’s a three-hour movie. It’s not one thing that’s leaping from present to indicate.
This is sort of a one-arc storyline with three hours of your favourite One Chicago characters intertwined.
Wow! So larger than the an infection one? As a result of that was huge.
Sure. A hundred percent. It’s by far the most important factor we’ve ever performed. It was an infinite feat for all three manufacturing crews to even work out get it performed.
And so, yeah, it’s unbelievable. It’s the largest crossover you’ve ever seen, but it surely’s not a crossover. It’s a One Chicago film of the week.
Chicago Hearth returns tonight at 9/8c on NBC.
Watch Chicago Hearth On-line
