The Chicago Fire Love Connection You Likely Didn't Know Happened
Even apart from the flames the fictional firefighters often battle, romantic sparks have often flown between characters on the NBC drama "Chicago Fire." Gabby Dawson (Monica Raymund) and Matt Casey (Jesse Spencer) eventually proved to be a controversial couple, but other pairings, like "Stellaride," the ship name for Stella Kidd and Kelly Severide, have been popular with fans of the show (via Us Weekly).
Like their characters, many of the actual stars of the series themselves have offscreen romantic partners and spouses at this point. Some were married even before "Chicago Fire" began airing in 2012 while others only tied the knot very recently. Show co-star Taylor Kinney was even engaged to pop star and fellow actor Lady Gaga in 2015 until they broke up later in 2016 (via People).
However, unlike other cast members, one actor on the series actually met his real-life spouse on the set of the show during filming. Here's more about the sweet and surprising relationship that began behind the scenes of "Chicago Fire."
Joe Minoso's wife was a makeup artist for Chicago Fire
Big-hearted squad member Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso) has a few ill-fated relationships over the course of "Chicago Fire," but doesn't meet the love of his life until Season 7, when he begins dating Chloe Allen (Kristen Gutoskie). The pair hit a bump in the road when Chloe gets scared of the dangers a firefighter faces, but they eventually get married and in Season 9, Chloe gives birth to their son, Brian, and they later adopt a young boy, Javi, in Season 10.
Joe Minoso actually first met his offscreen wife, Caitlin Miles Murphy, when she was one of the makeup artists on Season 2 of the show (via The Jam TV Show). Sparks flew between them, and eventually, the couple married in 2016, with show co-star and friend Christian Stolte officiating the ceremony. Minoso mused later that like Cruz, he was having goofy misadventures when he wasn't in production on the series, "and fast forward to 10 years later, I'm a very happily married man who is living in the suburbs and in bed by 9:30" (via Us Weekly).
The actor also told Occhi Magazine that he related to Cruz's issues in relationships: "I definitely fell in love with all the wrong women," he said. "Cruz definitely had this problem." Luckily, both the actor and his character have matured as they've found lasting love, and seem to be happier for it.