Chicago Fire went on a sentimental journey for its “300” episode, which bid farewell to original cast member Joe Miñoso, who has played Joe Cruz for 15 seasons. But the good news was they didn’t kill him off, so maybe down the line he will visit once again as Jesse Spencer has done, reprising his role as Matthew Casey.
Rather, his exit was made following a severe spinal injury caused in the Season 14 finale when he was buried under rubble while rescuing trapped victims in a fire. Since then, Cruz has struggled — first with the why-me’s and then with PT – to return to his Squad family, but his wife and his kids aren’t of the same mindset because they don’t want him in danger again.
“Yes, this has always been a point of contention between Chloe [Kristen Lee Gutoskie] and Cruz,” Miñoso told Parade in an exclusive interview. “It almost cost them the engagement to begin with. She was always hesitant about being involved with a firefighter and the fear of not knowing if this was the last morning they were going to see each other, so it’s definitely something that’s always been in the background.”
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Even as Cruz had doubts about returning, Firehouse 51 rallied behind him and tried to figure out a way to give Cruz more time to get back into shape as Chief Tomlin (Doug Savant) tried to blackmail Severide (Taylor Kinney) using Cruz as a bargaining chip. Back when Severide and Kidd (Miranda Mae Mayo) made the decision to fire McCaffrey (Matthew Daddario), whose father is an important politician, Tomlin cautioned them that there would be consequences. Severide knows McCaffrey isn’t fit for duty, so he says no, to the blackmail, but then Mouch (Christian Stotle) came up with a compromise that they could all live with.
Joe Miñoso, Christian StoltePhoto by: Peter Gordon/NBC
“Eventually, Cruz gets told by Mouch what Tomlin is up to and all of the efforts that Severide went through specifically to save my job,” Miñoso said. “We see that Severide is carrying a tremendous amount of guilt over Cruz’s condition and so he puts it on his shoulders to make sure that Cruz has the opportunity to return whenever he wants to return. I do think that he knows and appreciates it.”
It turns out to not be necessary, though, when Cruz decides to put his family first. His decision is to enter a rehab center near Milwaukee, near where Chloe’s parents live, so they can help with the newborn twins, and he will put his firefighting days behind him.
“I think the addition of the twins and having to be there for his wife in a very different way and having to be there as a father in a far more involved way is, I think, a beautiful turn,” Miñoso said. “It is so much about protecting his family. Cruz’s 4-year-old son Otis’ [Finn Russell] first words ever on the show are, ‘Why can’t someone else’s daddy do it?’ And the young actor has that perfect four- or 5-year-old voice that, when you hear those lines come out of that mouth, it’s like, ‘Oh, break my heart, why don’t you?’ It was kind of impossible not to make the decision that Cruz made.”
(l-r) Carlos S. Sanchez as Javi, Finn Russell as Otis, Joe Minoso as CruzPhoto by: George Burns Jr/NBC
Taking all that into consideration, Cruz decided that the family that he’s built needs him far more than the family that built him.
“What a powerful choice on the writers’ part and what a great way to send off the character because he’s always been so much about his family,” Miñoso added. “He’s one of the most loyal characters in the #OneChicago universe, and to make it about him making a decision for the sake of the family that he’s had the privilege to build as a father, it felt appropriate.”
Related: Chicago Fire Star Joe Miñoso Reflects on Saying Goodbye to Joe Cruz in Milestone 300th Episode: ‘A Beautiful Experience’ (Exclusive)
As mentioned earlier, this was a sentimental episode. But the scene that finally got me to shed tears came at the end when Cruz is sitting next to the memorial for Otis (Yuri Sardarov) and chatting with his late friend and fellow firefighter. And I wasn’t alone.
Joe Miñoso as CruzPhoto by: Peter Gordon/NBC
“Oh, man, endless tears,” Miñoso admitted. “The last episode, I cried during so many takes. That scene that you’re talking about, I suggested that scene to the writers. I felt that, especially for our super loyal fans who’ve been with us for so long, so much of Cruz is tied to Otis and that relationship. I think our growth in general as characters was because of one another, likewise our actual friendship. I told him I felt like I couldn’t think of a better way to not only say goodbye to the show and as myself to the audience, but also as a character to the firehouse. It just felt right that the last words that Otis uttered to Cruz would be almost the last words he says on the show.”
At least for now. Miñoso will be returning to Chicago Fire to direct an episode later this season, and he is also in talks with Sardarov about creating a podcast together.
“We remain very, very, very close friends to this day and are actually talking about building a rewatch podcast of the show from the very beginning, so hopefully, we’ll see that sooner than later.”
Chicago Fire airs Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Streams next day on Peacock.
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