After decades putting out fires and rescuing innocents on Chicago Fire, Joe Minoso has finally left the building—leaving behind a treasure trove of memories for ChiFire fans all over the world. After a lot of silence—likely served up to protect the plot of his exit episode and the show’s 300th outing—Minoso has done a round of press tours explaining why he thought it was time to leave the drama—and his feelings about stepping behind the camera for the first time as a director.
Minoso told TVLine that when he received word of his upcoming storyline for the season, it seemed like a good time to go. "We had done so much with the character. I remember thinking about it a lot midseason [during season 14], just because we had explored so much. And when we got the twins storyline, I was like, "This feels like the right time." So the news came my way, but I understood it, and they were so gracious," he said.
Minoso noted that they’d contemplated killing off Cruz but ultimately decided against pursuing that storyline.
"There was some discussion about the death not happening until the fifth episode, and everything else being a flashback kind of thing. But that's the beauty of what we do; there are so many ways to bring you in closer to the characters you already love and have them go through something that you can relate to," he said
Though he’ll be hanging around the set for quite some time thanks to his directing gig, he told Entertainment Weekly that filming Cruz’ last scene with Kelly Severide made him emotional. He told the magazine that he broke down in tears repeatedly as they worked together.
“I don’t think we’ve really ever had the opportunity to meet those two men on such equal footing in such an intimate, emotional way. Especially with Severide being such a man of few words normally and not really someone who expresses his feelings. Cruz is the exact opposite of that.”
While tears may have flowed thickly for the actor during his last time on set, his existence has been something of a joyful one. And he won't be out of reach for the rest of the cast and crew. On top of that, Minoso says he's going to be sticking around Chicago after making a home for himself in the city since the beginning of the drama's run.
"Chicago came calling back, and it's never let me go, which is why I'm never gonna let it go. I love this city and its people. I look forward to spending a long, beautiful time here," he told USA Today.
After years on Chicago Fire, Joe Cruz was granted a somewhat easygoing exit from the drama. Injured during the season 15 premiere, he’s paralyzed from the waist down. Filled with self-pity and anger, Joe manages to come around and start accepting physical therapy thanks to the convincing of his Engine 51 colleagues.
As he recovers, he realizes his wife, his new twins—born prematurely but healthy during the episode—and his sons need him and are afraid of what might happen if he plunges back into danger. Cruz realizes that Chloe needs his help with the twins and that he needs to consider his entire family instead of simply going back to the way things used to be. He and Chloe move to be closer to her parents, where Cruz can work away rehabilitating his injuries.
The team is heartbroken, and Joe thinks about all of those he’s loved, kept, and lost during his time in Chicago. Though he’s always going to be missed, he’s managed to make an indelible impression on his colleagues and loved ones.
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