Colin Donnell & Joe Minoso – One Chicago

By starrymag | January 6, 2016

Q) Colin, I was wondering, what does this One Chicago crossover mean for you? Is it a little bit more work? Are you excited for the fan feedback? What does it actually involve for you?

Colin: The crossover is an amazing feat of logistics first and foremost. I mean to pull together three casts of three extraordinarily busy shows into one unifying story is just amazing to me. So, it meant a little bit more work for everybody. I think especially behind the scenes. But ultimately, I think it’s so worth it to give the fans such a unique experience of being able to unify three separate shows that are within one universe. I mean it’s – it’s totally unprecedented in television, especially right now. And it’s amazing to be a part of that.

Q) Will both of you be live tweeting the event?

Colin: I don’t know if we’ll be back in Chicago by that point. But hopefully we will be able to.

Joe: I will miraculously figure out a way, even if in the air, to live tweet because I obviously care more about it than Colin does. [laughs]

Q) Joe, we left your character in such an emotionally precarious position. How is he going to be handling this? And is it going to affect him for the rest of the season, that he introduced this kid to the gang?

Joe: I think it’s going to weigh incredibly heavy on him. I can’t imagine how it wouldn’t. I think any opportunity where you introduce someone into the world or into your community or your family, you’re hoping that that is going to go well. And that there’s going to be sort of a symbiotic relationship. In the case of Freddie, I think no one was expecting that he would become so volatile. But unfortunately it turned into a really serious thing. And Hermann, obviously as many have said and I agree with, is the heart of that house. And so for it to happen to him of all people, who reached out so willingly to help, it hurts the most. And it’s going to kill Cruz. And we’re going to see that I think unfold, quite a bit throughout the season.

Q) Can you tell us, were there any challenges in filming these episodes as regard to oh I don’t know, the weather or anything else?

Joe: Yeah. I’m going to say it’s been awesome because thanks to the beautiful new Chicago Med cast and their lovely set, we get to hang out indoors instead of freezing our butts off outside. So that would be my answer to that particular question.

Colin: And speaking as a Chicago Med cast member, I just want to say you’re welcome Joe, for being part of a hospital drama that allows people to have a little respite from the Chicago winter and come indoors, into our hospital, so you don’t have to freeze your butt off outside.

Joe: I tell you, thank you so much. It’s just like walking into a warm fireplace, you know? And they’ve got the chestnuts going. Like the – first of all, they’re so hospitable over there. They’re just the loveliest group of people. So not only do you feel this warmth because the heat’s on, but you feel warm inside, because there’s just so much love.

Q) Colin, in this episode, do you have any particular like more medical jargon that you have to say, than usual? Or is it about the same?

Colin: I’m trying to remember. There’s – there’s a bit. There is one particular line that just kept screwing me up. I think I had to do about five or six takes and I can’t remember whether it was in the Fire portion of the crossover or the Med portion of the crossover. But it was…

Joe: …definitely in the Fire portion. It was the crossover. I remember you had to walk in and deliver some news about what was going on with David [Eigenberg]. And I found myself by like take five or six, I was kind of saying the words right along with him. Because like I’m convinced – I’m convinced I can do it. And I never once got it right. But he actually managed to nail it. And like – so I – he’s – like kudos to Colin, because that stuff is not easy.

Colin: I’m not the good one in the cast either. That’s like the other – the other people in the cast that have really, really like they nail it.

Q) Joe, I’m wondering if Freddie was maybe a way for you to make up for the gang member that you left in that fire a long time ago?

Joe: Wow. I mean that’s a very philosophical question. That’s very deep. I think for the audience’s perspective, perhaps that could very easily be the case. I think in terms of Cruz, I think he dealt with that in a very personal way, knowing that it was going to ultimately affect the life of his brother. And it was one or the other. And even so, his own life. Cruz was definitely on – on the watch list of those gang members and could have easily ended up just as dead as the next guy. And that’s I think a reality of that neighborhood culture all the time; is you walk on thin ice when you live in that kind of world, because you never truly know what’s going to set someone off in what particular way. So, it’s a fine line that you have to write it. When they wrote it there was a lot of controversy amongst the writers, as to whether or not it would be a good idea or that it would be too much to take. I think ultimately they – they really found a really interesting window to kind of have true experiences to process. And, a very kind of beautiful confessional scene in the first season. But as of right now with Freddie, I think more – I think what that just shows is more of how Cruz truly wants to help people get out of what he got out of. And for me, that’s a really personal thing, because I – I came from that kind of background. And I saw some real crazy things in my childhood. So I’m glad to be able to play that out on this show.

Q) Colin too – are we going to see some fisticuffs between Rhodes and Halstead at some point?

Joe: Oh, I hope so.

Colin: Yeah. I think, you know, they certainly have a – two opposing viewpoints on how they approach medicine. I don’t know if it necessarily gets to – we haven’t seen it come to that much of a heated argument. But things get – like even – even next week you see – you see things get a little bit more aggressive between the two. It’s, you know, it’s a contentious relationship.

Q) Colin, you’re kind of new and Rhodes is coming in like he runs the place, which he does. But when the opportunity came along to join the Chicago universe, what was your reaction? Were you familiar with the shows? Were you just like oh this is fantastic or were you just like I have to brush up on this? What was your reaction?

Colin: I was A, thrilled that I was being invited to be a part of such a cool series and such a, you know, being a part of a Dick Wolf universe. And I – I – I was a little familiar with the shows. But right when – right after I was – right after this all happened, my wife and I went back to the very beginning of Chicago Fire, Season 1 Episode 1 and we were like, you know, let – let’s just – let’s watch some. And we got hooked. We were so thrilled and every single episode got me so excited to be a part of something that was so unique and so fun, so entertaining, so moving. I fell in love with Cruz…

Joe: …you hit all the bullet points that we talked about before the phone call. Honestly, you nailed it. I really thought that you were going to miss on the Cruz – falling in love with Cruz part. But you – thank you. I’m so glad for that. I just wanted to say, you know, it’s crazy right, because you – you go into a show and you think it’s going to be like you hope – you just hope that it goes beyond 13 episodes then beyond Season 1. And what we’ve been involved in has been such an insane whirlwind. And to know that we are now in the midst of a third show and I personally, if we’re just going to be doing a little backstroking on each other’s backs here, I am – I’ve become such a fan of Chicago Med. I think that they really have great things going on. I think they’re telling medical stories in a very interesting, unique way. And the cast is just kicking butt. We had to do this quick promotional last year, well right before the hiatus, right before the Christmas break where we had to say Happy New Year to a couple of folks. And it was all three casts all together. And it really felt like a big kind of Thanksgiving dinner at a family. And it was like so exciting. So it’s like we’re – I think I can speak for Colin when I say it’s been like such an awesome experience just watching this family grow.

Q) So you could say Cruz has had it a little rough lately. He has a new lieutenant on squad, his best friend moved in on his girlfriend and then now the whole thing with Freddie’s going on. So I mean where would you like to see Cruz go from here?

Joe: Gosh, hopefully on a vacation. After all that. But no, in all honesty, you’re right. It has been a really kind of crazy year for him. And I couldn’t be happier. I experienced a great amount of great story in this season. And they’ve really kind of taken the character on a different course. And I’m really, really excited about the potential that working with Taylor has brought on the closer one on one level. And I get to do a lot more stunt work, which has also been insanely awesome. But as of right now, I’m just, to be honest, enjoying getting to just play with such meaty dialog. They’ve really – I think they aren’t – I think the writing staff is on a whole other level this season. And it’s like the way that they’re weaving these – this crossover episode is just so like seamless and it just all makes so much sense. And it’s just so exciting to be able to do something that’s like so innovative and interesting and new.

Q) So four episodes in and we’ve seen so many different medical cases on the Med show. And I just wanted to know, which one has been your favorite so far, whether it had to do with your character or not.

Colin: My favorite medical case so far. Is it – is it a copout to say it’s one you haven’t seen yet? The episode that aired just before the holiday break that dealt with the supposed gun violence and the shooting in the theater, I think was one of – was one of my favorite episodes that we’ve done so far. I just think that what it had to say and what it did say was very powerful. And I think it – it – those are the kind of stories that I would like to be telling. And I think it was very deftly handled by our director and our writers and our cast as a whole. And I was very proud to be a part of that.

Q) Out of  all the cast members on all three shows, and let’s say Cruz was given a workout Zumba video, who would you choose to be as your dance backup partner?

Joe: Do I only get one though, because like usually backup dancers. As we all know Colin’s got mad moves. So I would definitely have him front and center. And gosh, I would probably have to include Charlie Barnett. He is definitely part of our universe and forever will be. And he is also my brother. And I would love to have him on the other side. And to be honest, if I just had the three of us, I think we should kill – that we could kill. But if I had my way, I would just have Jesse and Christian in the background, pretending to know what they’re doing or just looking like fools the whole time.

Q) Colin, have emotional flaws and psychological flaws and you also got Darth Vader as your dad. So I was wondering what is the progression going to be with you and that character. How is it going to play out with you and your dad?

Colin: We’ve seen a little bit of the – the Rhodes family story unfold so far. And not – it won’t be just this week but next week, you’ll see some more of it unfold. I mean there’s a whole – what I love about all of our characters, and like you mentioned every single character across all of these Chicago shows has a story that we get to peek into and they’ve – I think our writers – the writers of every show do a great job of shining a light on all of these characters. And that’s what makes it so appealing to an audience is because you fall in love with each of them as you go along. And specifically, you’re going to see why there is such animosity between Connor and his father, in the next couple of weeks. And to say anything more would unfortunately, give it away.

Q) I just wanted to say to Joe that I had read that you were shy. I think people have the wrong idea about you, because you don’t seem very shy at all.

Joe: I don’t know what you’re talking about. This is all an act. It’s a giant ruse so that I can feel somewhat comfortable. But in actuality – no, definitely before I found acting I was very, very shy. And the more that I acted the more I just realized, you know, just being yourself and allowing the world to see you for who you are, allows you to feel a lot better about yourself because you have nothing to hide. And at the end of the day, we’re all crazy in our own aspects. And we all have interesting idiosyncrasies. And, you know, so I think I owe a debt of gratitude to the fact that I’m an actor just because it’s helped me explore a lot of my own demons. But I think any – most actors would say that. But yeah, I – it’s very true. It’s very true. I could barely talk to a girl when I was 12, 13 years old.

Q) But that’s how you got into show business, right, through a girlfriend?

Joe: Very true. Yeah. My first girlfriend, yeah, she took me to see her in a high school play. And by the second act I had went up to the technical director who was leading the stage hands, and I said do you guys need any help with anything, because I just wanted to be involved somehow. And that quickly led to me auditioning to get into the school play. And then I mean once that happened forget about it, I was – it was over. It’s all I’ve ever done. It’s all I know. I’m in a lot of trouble if I can’t get a job.

Q) You guys are very active on social media and it seems like you guys have a real good connection. Does that have a lot to do with how it comes across on screen that you guys really have a good time?

Joe: For me I think that it’s very much so the case. I don’t know how we’ve been as lucky as we have in terms of all of the cast members that keep coming in. You hear horror stories when you’re a young actor about working with a bunch of divas and how that can be impossible. And I – we have not come across that really. Everyone that keeps coming into the shows are just such lovely people to work with. They’re true professionals. They’re ready to just kind of do their work and – and at the same time, all know how to act like five year old morons. They enjoy one another and can not be afraid of just being silly. And that I think is why it just makes this job so easy and such a pleasure to do.

Colin: Joe, like if I may, it’s like being able to – I had – before coming into this, I had heard nothing but amazing things about how everybody was so nice and so wonderful and you won’t believe it. I actually was preparing myself not to believe it because it was – it sounded too good to be true how like wonderful of a group it was. But that’s exactly what I walked into. And it was being – specifically doing this crossover because the – the crossover was my first opportunity to step on another set aside from Chicago Med. And I have to say like Joe was actually one of the first people who came up to me when I came on the set. And he personally just walked me through and introduced me to every single person who was there. And it was such a wonderful welcome to the family really. And I really felt very – just it was such a warm, warm welcome. And it was so appreciative – or so appreciated on my part, being able to being able to drop in to something that’s been going on, into a family that’s been together for three plus years and not feel like the new kid that was invading space.

Q) The word on the street here in Chicago is that you guys work with a language person to help you get things said the way Chicagoans would say it. Is that true?

Joe; I’ve been in Chicago for about – going on 12 plus years, so I think that whatever happens that may sound like Chicago when I talk, is just kind of been ingrained in me from just being here. I personally don’t think that my Chicago accent is that good. But there’s definitely – well I mean there’s definitely a – a speech person that we have on Chicago Fire, who works a lot with Jesse and Eamonn, to really get that dialect down. And funny enough, she was my teacher in college at NIU when I was there for a Master’s program. And now she’s like the go to in like dialect work in Chicago. So just what’ll happen in ten years is amazing.

Q) Colin, are you having trouble with our dialect? You sound pretty authentic so far.

Colin: especially Connor Rhodes has a bit of a special scenario since he spent so long away from Chicago, in New Mexico doing medical school and his – his training afterwards and then being in the Middle East working for years, before he finally came back. But I’m a Midwestern kid myself. I’m from St. Louis. So I grew up around plenty of Chicago – Chicagoans. I went to school in Indiana as well. So I – my ear’s been attuned to it for most of my life.

Q) So what were your initial reactions when you found out that you were going to be doing the crossover episode?

Joe: I think, this has been something that I think has been kind of bred into the thinking of this show from the very beginning. I think Dick Wolf has really been reaching for kind of a new look at how you produce television and – and this has been something that has been on his mind from the very beginning. And it’s actually a real honor for me to see it unfold. I think that they’ve done such an exceptional job in putting this whole thing together and like now that Med is here, I’m really looking forward to us telling some really interesting, well-rounded, fully developed stories. I feel like if you think about it, there’s going to be three shows telling the same story over the course of one week. That’s an hour and a half of television, which is the length of most movies. So we’re really putting on a movie a week here, when we do a crossover event.

Colin: I was like – because we knew it was coming but we didn’t know what story was going to be told. For me I was just so excited to see like what – what they were going – what kind of story was going to be – was going to take up that three hours of television. I was like I want to know. I want to know.

Q) What was the dynamic like for all of the cast members for all three of the Chicago shows to come together? Did you guys know each other pretty well already or what was like that working with everyone?

Colin: I would say it was sort of like the dance at the gym in West Side Story, especially Joe – and Joe and I were Maria and Tony.

Joe: Yeah. I think that – that makes perfect sense. The analogy couldn’t have been more suited. I actually – I wish that I could come up with something more ideal but he – he’s nailed it.

Colin: I touched on it a little bit earlier, at least from my perspective. The welcome was so warm and as the newbies on the block, we’ve – we – the expectation was that we would live up to the standard and the ethic, the work ethic that has been set by Fire and PD for the last few years. And when you’re walking into a situation like that you feel like you have every tool to succeed. And to walk in and not only see them working so hard and know that the product that they’re creating is amazing, but also just to feel the warmth and the love that extends not just within the cast but the crew and the – the directors and the – the cameramen. I mean everybody across the board is so welcoming and so lovely. It’s an amazing group to be a part of.

Q) There are rumors of a fourth Chicago spinoff or a third spinoff series. I was just wondering what you guys would want the fourth show to be.

Joe: Oh god. Chicago Streets and Sanitation.

Colin: Chicago Notary Public.

Joe: I don’t know. I think, you know, what makes sense – probably something on the politics side of the city. Or, you know, something along the line of a – of a law show maybe. But, you know, who knows. At this point everything’s game I feel like.

Q) I know Fire and PD last year did the crossover with Law & Order SVU. Have you heard from them, kind of maybe jealous that they’re not in on this next crossover?

Joe: I can’t imagine that they’re not. I mean it’s like we’re cool over here in Chicago. So I would want to be a part of it. You know, I’m sure that they’re very busy doing their own thing but – but yeah, they’re always fun to play with. I get to be able to work with those guys and I’m really, really ready to meet everybody over there because I’d love to work with them. Because I’m – I’m a big fan.

Q) Chicago Fire has these bursts of comedy between the intense scenes, such as when we discovered Cruz’s background as a Zumba instructor. Why do you feel it’s important for them to incorporate the comedic elements in between all the drama?

Joe: Well I think what – especially for Fire, I think that we have that luxury to be honest with you, to take some really moments – some real moments of levity, just because that’s just how they live. That’s how firefighters and paramedics coexist in the universe. You spend enough time with a lot of these people and you realize that they do a lot of things that – to just kind of keep themselves happy and just too kind of – kind of distract themselves from the seriousness of the job. You get to see some of the world’s most atrocious things as a firefighter and you are you’re the last line of defense for a lot of people’s lives. And sometimes that doesn’t necessarily happen. And I’m sure that this is the same for the people over at Med. There’s a great responsibility that comes with trying to save a human life. And when that doesn’t happen on your watch that can be a real low. So I think fortunately, Fire has the best kind of avenue in all us goofball firefighters, to kind of take a break and maybe laugh at ourselves a little bit, because it really is how they handle all that stress.

Q) Looking beyond this week’s crossover, what’s ahead for your characters? Are there any story lines you’re really excited for fans to see this season or to explore?

Colin: There’s some really, really cool stuff coming up for – not even particularly for – for Connor but there are some – there are some story lines that we’re doing right now. I think we’re on Episode 9 on Med right now, that I – I’m super excited. I can’t give anything away. I wish I could. But suffice to say like there’s – they don’t – the stories I feel have just gotten better from where we started. And I’m very excited for audiences to see what we’re – what the writers are doing and – and what’s going on.

Joe: Yeah. And I mean I would say for – for me, I’m just – I’m excited. Once this crossover takes place and America gets to see the potential of what we’re really capable of doing when we’re telling a story now, with these three shows, I’m excited to see what the writers decide to do with it next time. Because I think that they’re going to find themselves with a great position to do some really interesting television and I think that for me that’s what’s most exciting, is we’re going to explore uncharted territory in the world of TV.

 

 

*CONFERENCE CALL*