‘Chicago Fire’: Brandon Larracuente Teases Joe Miñoso & Dermot Mulroney’s Exits

When Chicago Fire returns for its 15th season on October 7, it’s the last episode for one of the cast and one of the last for another member. Dermot Mulroney‘s Pascal will be written out in the premiere, while Joe Miñoso‘s Cruz is leaving after a handful of episodes. When Brandon Larracuente (who plays Vasquez) stopped by TV Insider’s office recently, we had to ask him about those farewells.

“[That goodbye] was difficult. I’ve only known Joe for the past one and a half seasons, but when you come into this universe of Chicago, but Chicago Fire specifically, they really embrace you,” he shared in the video interview above. “I felt a part of the cast within weeks, maybe less than that. So, to not have that presence on set every day, there’s going to be a definite void, but I hope that we see more of Joe. I hope that he comes back as an actor at some point. I hope he gets to direct a couple episodes.”

He added, “There is a definite void that I think Joe’s character is going to leave in the firehouse, but not just in his character, like the actor himself, Joe Miñoso. He’s been there since Season 1. … He kind of essentially opened up the door for people like myself, especially Latins, to step into this universe. And I think he’s did it gracefully and I think the writers have done a phenomenal job this season kind of giving him a farewell tour or a sendoff. I think they’re doing it the right way.”

Peter Gordon/NBC

As for 51’s former battalion chief, Pascal, “a lot of it’s contingent on what happens in the cliffhanger that we saw in Season 14. And that, based on what happens in that cliffhanger, determines his exit,” Larracuente teased.

The beginning of the season also has to reveal if everyone survives the massive fire that saw most of 51 trapped in the finale cliffhanger. Larracuente shared he was most worried about “the veterans, people like Herrmann [David Eigenberg], people like Mouch [Christian Stolte], people like even Severide [Taylor Kinney], because the way that the writers left off Season 14, nobody really felt safe.”

Moving forward, he teased, “I think the beauty of things like this is that despite a big tragedy … At the end of the call when things finally die down, seeing the camaraderie and seeing how they lean on each other and seeing just the sense of teamwork and the familial feel that comes with the firehouse, I think that’s the most important part, is knowing that we were all there for each other. I think that’s one of the most crucial things that we’ll see this year.”

The Chicago Fire Season 14 finale also saw Vasquez given the chance to return to the CPD. Obviously we know he’s not going anywhere and sticks with the CFD, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t an “internal struggle” for him. We’ll see that at the beginning of Season 15.

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“That’s what I love is we don’t just leave it in Season 14. It continues into Season 15. He grew up in the police academy, his father was a police officer, and I feel like that’ll ever leave him. So we are going to revisit some of those topics, especially regarding Vasquez,” Larracuente added.

Watch the full video interview above with Brandon Larracuente about what’s coming up about that shocking cliffhanger, the new candidates, Vasquez’s love life, and much more.

Chicago Fire, Season 15 Premiere, Wednesday, October 7, 9/8c, NBC