Joe Miñoso
Original Chicago Fire cast member Joe Miñoso is officially leaving the hit drama after 14 seasons, though the actor will return briefly to wrap up Joe Cruz's storyline. Screenshot from joeminoso/Instagram

Actor Joe Miñoso, who has portrayed the character Joe Cruz since the television programme premiered in 2012, is set to depart the popular Dick Wolf production, just months after the drama concluded its run in May. The 47-year-old was one of the few original cast members remaining on the long-running television series.

In case you missed it, season 14 came to an end with an unresolved situation. Several members of the rescue squad, including Cruz, were seen rushing into a burning storage facility that was threatening to collapse. Viewers were left waiting to see how the Firehouse 51 crew would manage the peril.

Joe Miñoso Set to Depart Chicago Fire

As the most recent season wrapped, the actor stood alongside David Eigenberg, who plays Christopher Herrmann, Christian Stolte as Randy 'Mouch' McHolland, and Taylor Kinney as Kelly Severide. They represented the four original cast members still active on the official roster. NBC has not yet shared whether all three of those remaining actors will return for season 15.

Despite the impending exit, the story surrounding Cruz and his fictional family is expected to continue. Reports noted that Miñoso is set to appear in several episodes in the forthcoming 15th season. Fans, often referred to as Chi-Hards, can expect some resolution to the current narrative arcs in the forthcoming episodes.

Unfinished Storylines Await in Upcoming Fifteenth Season

The recent storyline involving Cruz's wife Chloe Cruz, played by Kristen Gutoskie, will not go unfinished. She recently learned she is pregnant with twins, and that plot thread is set to carry over into the new broadcast year.

The onscreen romance between the two characters reached a significant point in 2020. Miñoso and Gutoskie saw their characters get hitched in an emotional climax to their eight-season love story. Speaking to Give Me My Remote after the memorable moment aired, the actor described the sheer scale of the television wedding.

'I can definitely say it is the biggest wedding we have ever done,' Miñoso told the publication. 'Very formal, very Catholic. Which is very much so, I think, in line with who Cruz is. He is kind of old-fashioned at heart.'

Personal Milestones Achieved on the Television Set

Beyond marking major professional milestones, which included a handful of crossover appearances on Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med, the series led to some sweet personal milestones for the actor. It was on set that he met his wife Caitlin Murphy Miles, who served as a makeup artist for the network drama.

Three years after their season two meet-cute, the pair officially tied the knot in 2016. The production provided a backdrop for both his real-life marriage and his character's major relationship developments over the past decade.

Cast Changes and Previous Chicago Fire Exits

Over the years, Miñoso has had to say goodbye to many costars as the ensemble updated its cast roster. He watched the departures of his former roommate Charlie Bartlett and fellow original cast member Jesse Spencer.

More recently, the show saw the exits of Daniel Kyri, Jake Lockett, and Michael Bradway in 2025. Now, after a long run on the show, he is joining them in that next chapter as a television universe alumnus.

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