Podtalk: Joe Minoso for ‘Alonso, The Dream and the Call’

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CHICAGO – He has portrayed the reliable firefighter Joe Cruz for six seasons on NBC-TV’s “Chicago Fire”… Joe Minoso both plays that role and actually lives in Chicago now. Before his stint on “Fire,” he had completed a short film for local filmmaker Ben-Hur Uribe, “Alonso, The Dream and the Call,” which has just been released for Amazon Prime download.

“Alonso, The Dream and the Call,” although completed several years ago, seems ripped from today’s headlines. Minoso portrays Alonso, a Latino immigrant living in Chicago and working long hours in construction to take care of his wife and kids. When a persistent cough won’t go away, the insurance-less Alonso has no choice but to wait it out in the emergency room, jeopardizing his work and family time. The film also features a cameo from Chicago actor and “Saturday Night Live” veteran Tim Kazurinsky.

Joe Minoso, Left in ‘Alonso, The Dream and the Call’ and Right on ‘Chicago Fire’
Photo credit: Amazon Prime

Joe Minoso is the son of immigrants, and grew up in the Bronx in New York City. He came to Chicago after college as a young actor in the mid 2000s, eventually performing for Teatro Vista, the largest Latino theater company in the Midwest. Prior to his role as Joe Cruz on “Chicago Fire” beginning in 2012, Minoso also has appeared on “Shameless,” “The Chicago Code” and “Boss.” Director Ben-Hur Uribe of “Alonso” (his parents named him for the film) made his debut film “Por Amor” in 2006, and is also currently working on a feature film, all set in Chicago.

In Part One of the Podtalk, Joe Minoso talks about the issues within “Alonso: The Dream and The Call” and his years on “Chicago Fire.”

In Part Two, Director Ben-Hur Uribe of “Alonso: The Dream and The Call” ponders the prescience of his short film, and his current work.

By PATRICK McDONALD Writer, Editorial Coordinator HollywoodChicago.com [email protected]