Meet Chicago Fire Star Joe Miñoso's Wife, Caitlin
While viewers of the hot firefighter-filled primetime TV series "Chicago Fire" were wrapped up in the on-screen drama happening at the iconic Molly's Bar and sighing over heroic acts by handsome ash-streaked men like actor Joe Miñoso, the star — who plays Joe Cruz — was having his own romantic moments falling in love behind the cameras. The star met his future wife Caitlin Murphy Miles while sitting in the makeup chair on the set of the show.
In December 2015, Miñoso announced his engagement to the internet world. "They say you always fall in love when you least expect it. I now know that to be absolutely true," he wrote on Instagram. "A little over two years ago a makeup artist joined the team of 'Chicago Fire.' And quickly became the biggest part of my heart! I am thrilled to let the world know that I will now have the great privilege of calling Caitlin Murphy Miles my fiancé and soon my wife."
The two were married in October 2016 and have been living happily ever after with their careers in full swing. Miñoso has continued to win fans via his "Chicago Fire" experience, while Caitlin has used her artistic eye in makeup and beyond.
Caitlin Murphy Miñoso was a makeup artist on Chicago Fire
Caitlin Murphy Miñoso grew up in California, earning her cosmetology license and becoming a professional makeup artist. She moved to the East Coast and worked at a high-end salon in New York City before shifting her attention to the sets of Hollywood. As a makeup artist, she worked on several different series and movies before landing on the set of "Chicago Fire" in 2013, where she did makeup for over 75 episodes until 2017.
Talking about her time on the show with the Adeptus On Air podcast in March 2023, Miñoso shared how she met her future husband, actor Joe Miñoso, one of the stars of the series. "I came on to the show Season Two, and we started dating about three months later, got married a couple years later," she recalled. "It's been a crazy roller coaster. 'Chicago Fire' brought my life so much happiness."
She also credits the series with sparking an a-ha moment in her career. When the long, 16-hour days on set got to be too much, and her health started to suffer, Miñoso left the show in search of a new creative avenue. Her sister sent her a YouTube video featuring a paramedical tattoo artist working on a burn survivor, and something clicked for the artist. With her 'Chicago Fire' background, she knew this was something she wanted to pursue.
Caitlin is a paramedical tattoo artist with her own boutique
While Caitlin Murphy Miñoso and her husband Joe were working on "Chicago Fire," they met numerous firefighters and heard stories of burn survivors. When she learned about paramedical tattooing, Miñoso told Adaptus on Air, "It hit something in me and I knew that was exactly what I needed to do going forward."
Miñoso started training as a tattoo artist, practicing with decorative pieces on "Chicago Fire" friends like actors Taylor Kinney — who got a beach scene — and Daniel Kyri. As a paramedical micro-pigmentation specialist, she uses the art of tattooing for areola restoration on breast cancer survivors, and scar camouflage for burn victims. "Having my passion for makeup has been amazing ... But what I do now, and being able to connect with these people and hear their stories, it's really, really powerful and amazing. I love it," she said on Adaptus on Air.
She practices at her boutique Willow & Birch in Dundee, Illinois, outside of Chicago. She also offers yoga classes and a wellness store. Her husband Joe is one of the boutique's biggest fans and regularly shares photos on social media. "I have had the great pleasure of watching my wife move into a new career for the last couple of years," he wrote on Instagram. "When she started her journey as a paramedical tattoo artist, we never would've imagined that it would've brought us to this place." He added in another post, "What's a word for more than proud!? Seriously, so damn proud!"