Joe Minoso stars as firefighter Joe Cruz on Chicago Hearth.
We had an opportunity to meet up with him proper earlier than the premiere of Chicago Fire Season 9 on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
Learn on to search out out what Alberto needed to say about what’s up forward for Cruz, his previous with new paramedic Gianna Mackey, and incorporating the pandemic into the OneChicago Universe.
So what are you able to tease about this upcoming season?
Oh, gosh, properly, I imply, too many issues, proper? I imply, to begin with, I can let {that a} new paramedic goes to be coming to 51.
And she or he is a really, very outdated pal of Cruz, somebody that he thinks of very a lot as a little bit sister. And there is going to be all kinds of drama round that, particularly for Cruz.
Regardless that he is fortunately married man, he’s all the time acquired to have his emotions in someone’s life, so I look ahead to enjoying with our new actress Adriyan Rae. She’s actually been a whole pleasure to be with.
After which after all, , extra Casey and Brett drama, and ‘will they, will not they.’
Frankly, I hope they do not. Additionally, there’ll be much more of the identical thrilling stuff we normally see. You already know, we’re gonna get to see Ritter do all kinds of, , superb new stuff and actually see what he is made out as a firefighter.
And we’ll get to discover, after all, , all of our characters and what’s been occurring with them throughout this COVID-ridden world that we’re in proper now.
You already know, we’re enjoying firefighters and first responders, and people guys, these women and men, are undoubtedly on the frontline of this. So now we have we hope to form of discover that as properly.
So that you talked about that Cruz and Mackey go means again. Are they simply pals, or is there perhaps extra to the backstory?
Sure, , I will not give away an excessive amount of, however in the end, it is actually form of an enormous brother/little sister relationship greater than something.
Does the reappearance of Mackey in Cruz’s life trigger bother for him and Chloe. They simply acquired married on the finish of final season.
Yeah, no, Chloe and Cruz are in the midst of like marriage ceremony bliss. They’re nonetheless very a lot on the honeymoon stage. And issues are firing on all cylinders on that finish. So no, in no way. No bother in that paradise.
What’s the dynamic like on the 51 now {that a} new paramedic has arrived? Does she shake issues up?
I would not say turbulence, however I might say Gianna definitely shortly places her stamp on plenty of Firehouse 51. So it undoubtedly will not be a clean journey.
Does that put Cruz in a tough place, having to perhaps play peacemaker?
There is no means that . It’ll trigger pressure between different firefighters. It’s gonna trigger pressure between Gianna and Cruz.
It’ll put Cruz ready the place he appears like he has to ensure that she is representing as properly. So yeah, completely. It’ll be a complete battle I believe in plenty of methods for Cruz.
I spoke with Alberto Rosende just lately, and he mentioned that you just guys have a pair scenes arising. What are you able to tease about that?
We do. All I’ll say is, maybe it is it, Gianna concerned. I additionally wish to say, that this actually is the primary time that we have gotten to play collectively, as actors in an in-depth means. Alberto is extra normally on Truck, coping with these guys over there, so we have not had plenty of on air time. It was such a blast to work with him.
You already know, lots of people do not know this, however Alberto is was really Latino, and it has been actually enjoyable to simply form of discover, , working with one other Latin actor on display screen like that. It has been actually a ton of enjoyable.
How would you describe their relationship? Cruz wasn’t overly thrilled when Gallo joined 51, simply because he was changing Otis.
Yeah, no, I believe, normally, so far as that particular a part of the connection. Gallo has definitely earned his stripes with the workforce, and I believe that that is mirrored in our relationship. I believe that there is undoubtedly respect for who he’s as a firefighter.
However there undoubtedly will probably be a little bit little bit of a heated alternate between the 2 of us over a few issues.
Does any of that must do with Gallo perhaps eager to ask about Mackey?
Ah, what? Possibly, not perhaps. Who is aware of, perhaps the opposite means round? I do not know.
Will Mackey’s introduction present some extra perception on Cruz’s backstory? Possibly, what his life was like pre-Firehouse 51?
I believe we’ll delve into that extra, particularly in episode 2, form of his relationships with perhaps her members of the family that can unfold themselves later. However I do not wish to give that away.
So the place does Cruz discover himself this season professionally?
You already know, frankly, extra of the identical, simply doing his greatest to again up Severide in a few of the most harrowing calls that Squad will get to see. Hopefully, down the road, we’ll begin to discover what it seems to be like for him at a management degree, and who is aware of, perhaps a little bit sooner. I personally know I am prepared for it.
So how would that management translate on display screen? Would it not be him taking the lieutenant’s examination like Kidd this season, or simply taking over extra accountability throughout the firehouse?
You may see now that occasionally. Severide is form of bouncing backwards and forwards, doing plenty of investigating [with OFI], so you may see {that a} Cruz is form of taking the management position on Squad. So, who is aware of? That might probably occur.
Anything you possibly can tease about Cruz this season?
Proper now, we have solely gotten into about episode 2 or 3, and there’s a jampacked bunch of stuff, particularly on the connection facet. So I nonetheless do not know; I look ahead to seeing what we uncover within the coming episodes.
Do you have got something you’d wish to see occur to him?
Oh, wow. You already know, I do not know. That is an ideal query.
Beginning a household, in in some way, looks like the pure development from right here on out. However I’ve handled this proper now. He lastly has a second to form of sit in his pleasure and simply be part of a phenomenal married couple, and simply expertise that form of love.
Then, on the similar time, he is actually form of taking over one thing of a mentee in Gianna and ensuring that she’s discovering her means by means of the firehouse. So I believe that in the end, that is going to maintain him fairly busy for some time.
I all the time look ahead to no matter subsequent problem they carry my means.
Are you able to tease any of the motion sequences that you have shot up to now? We all know that the top of Chicago Hearth Season 9 Episode 1 will probably be fairly dicey.
We’ll be on the dispatched to an enormous picture lab that goes up in flames.
These are some actually, actually flammable liquids and chemical substances that they take care of after they’re growing pictures. So it is a actually hair-raising name, and it undoubtedly places us all form of in plenty of totally different conditions, which is admittedly sensible on the writers half.
They have been actually determining methods to form of put us again into the center of the world that we take care of, with fires and stuff like that, however form of maintain us protected on a well being perspective by limiting how many people get caught up in numerous conditions.
So, which builds up extra drama, as a result of it places us all in form of remoted worlds the place we’re in much more hazard. I believe you may see form of in that first huge hearth in episode 1.
Any likelihood we’ll get to see Leon this season?
We cannot see any of Leon shifting ahead within the first two episodes, however I might like to see him.
I believe that it’ll be tough in plenty of methods to see a few of our nice visitor stars that we have had on through the years, as a result of there’s so many new restrictions. All people’s attempting to be protected with all of those COVID form of compliances.
We’re undoubtedly form of tightening the ranks and ensuring that everybody is being as wholesome as potential. So it could be a while earlier than we get a few of these company visiting once more.
Are there another characters you’d wish to see Cruz work together with? Possibly somebody that he doesn’t usually get to share scenes with?
I believe Daniel Kyri [who plays Ritter]. You already know, we acquired an opportunity to play a little bit bit final 12 months, and that was a lot enjoyable. Alberto was the final one which I actually have not had a possibility to essentially form of work with on a one-on-one foundation. In order that has been implausible.
I really like working with everyone in our forged, so I look ahead to anybody that they throw my means. You already know, I all the time liked working with Mouch, with Herrmann. Severide and Cruz have constructed fairly a bond over the past couple of years since you have gone on Squad. So I all the time look ahead to no matter comes my means.
I believe it is all the time so thrilling. I by no means anticipate what’s coming. You already know, I by no means know what’s in retailer for Cruz every year. The very last thing I might have anticipated was a relationship with a brand new paramedic, and this type of like, lengthy misplaced sister.
So, that is what was thrilling to me, like, seeing how they managed to maintain every character’s trajectory flesh. And yearly, there’s some new thrilling problem for me to discover. So it is all the time a deal with.
So what’s it been wish to movie in the course of the pandemic? These are fairly loopy occasions.
Certainly. Outdoors of the masks carrying, which I am so very grateful for, it has been fairly good. Our producers are extremely sensible, and so they have been engaged on the system for months earlier than we ever confirmed up. I really feel like they’ve carried out every little thing they’ll to mitigate it.
I am actually, frankly, very impressed with what NBC and our producers have put collectively with the intention to maintain this method, , maintain this prepare rolling.
It is simply thrilling to have the ability to have our crew, see our crew once more, and to know the truth that they’re working. Actually, I believe it is unbelievable.
How closely does the pandemic issue into this upcoming season? As a firefighting drama, the characters are on the entrance strains at occasions.
I believe it will all the time weigh in some storylines greater than others, however on the similar time, , the COVID world is the on a regular basis world we dwell in now.
So in plenty of methods, you may see the on a regular basis of it for them, just like the firefighters get temperature checks after they stroll into each shift and you may see that emulated.
There’s going to be plenty of protocols that you have seen the primary responders who’re coping with this each day that we will do our greatest to implement into the sequence.
Anything you want so as to add?
I actually excited to be again. It has been such an extended hiatus, and I am so thrilled to have the ability to be again at work with the very massive household of people who now we have that it takes to make this factor occur.
We simply actually hope that you just guys get pleasure from it and that we will proceed to convey you an identical high quality for the OneChicago Universe that you just guys anticipate from us.
Make sure to catch Joe in Chicago Hearth, with its ninth season premiering on NBC on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
Jessica Lerner is a workers author for TV Fanatic. Observe her on Twitter.