Grilling, barbacking, window dressing — how stars of ‘Chicago Fire,’ spinoffs are spending the strike

LaRoyce Hawkins is boning up on his front-of-house skills at an upscale Mag Mile restaurant. Amy Morton is unwinding with a propane grill in the North Woods. Joe Miñoso is dressing windows. And Marina Squerciati purchased a puffy shirt.

Staying busy during the actors’ strike hasn’t been hard for cast members of NBC’s locally made dramas “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago P.D.” and “Chicago Med.”

Hawkins, who grew up in Harvey, lives in the West Loop and plays Officer Kevin Atwater on “Chicago P.D.,” has leaned into relationships he has with the folks behind Adalina Restaurant on North State Street to learn a bit about hosting and barbacking.

“Depending on how long the strike is, you never know, you might find me at Adalina,” he said.

But with writers off the picket lines and back at work on the new “Chicago P.D.” season, and his union SAG-AFTRA continuing contract talks, he’s hopeful the show will start up again soon.

“I know we’re getting closer and closer to being back on the battlefield,” he said, noting that he keeps in touch with many people from the production. “The text thread is starting to get more active.” 

Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times

Hawkins has also been playing his harmonica when he can, touring with a show he put together called Poetry Over Prose that combines comedy, poetry and storytelling.

“My first love is stand-up,” he said.

The actors’ strike has meant “Chicago Fire” actor Joe Miñoso, who plays Joe Cruz, a hard-charging but soft-hearted firefighter who also does Zumba, has had more time to focus on window dressing. 

“My wife runs a wellness business in East Dundee called Willow & Birch, and somehow I’ve become the window display guy, so I’m figuring out the fall seasonal look, and Christmas is right around the corner,” said Miñoso, who lives in the northwest suburbs. 

Miñoso is also trying to score under 90 on the golf course, producing and directing a film through his Mass Epiphany Studios and keeping busy looking after his four dogs: Bugsy Two Toes, Leroy Short Stack, Boyou La Rune and Pockets Happy Bottoms. 

The three Chicago-based shows normally shoot from mid-July to late April or early May, but filming has been on ice since SAG-AFTRA went on strike in July.

Amy Morton, who grew up in Oak Park, lives in Lincoln Square and plays Desk Sgt. Trudy Platt on “Chicago P.D.,” would like to get back to work but has been enjoying spending time at her husband’s family cottage on a lake in Northern Wisconsin, where she’s been testing out a new propane grill.

“I’ve been doing lots of reading. Exercise … not much. Bah. I did that way long ago. It didn’t work out,” said the accomplished stage actress. 

“I’m actually good with time off. I feel lucky that I’m not young because I don’t have that same sort of ambition. But you start to feel like you want to be more useful. I do want to get back, but I can hold out. I’m doing OK,” she said.

“Camaraderie between shots, just sitting there and gabbing, about kids or whatever, I do miss that. It’s been 11 years now, so it’s very much a family vibe there,” she said.

Marina Squerciati, who lives downtown and plays police officer Kim Burgess on “Chicago P.D.,” admittedly can’t sit still for long, so she’s been on the move, checking things off a list.

She made plans to see “Hamilton” with her 6-year-old daughter. “I bought costumes. I have a puffy shirt. I’m sure in one more year she’ll be mortified, but right now she thinks I’m the best mom alive.”

She’s been to get-togethers hosted by 2nd Story, a storytelling group that plans events at various places in the city and suburbs that feature mostly nonprofessional participants who share anecdotes. She hasn’t gotten on stage yet but would like to.

And she’s taking drawing classes with a friend from the show’s crew, but her work isn’t very good yet. 

“We’re doing stick figures, and everyone else seems to be doing figure drawing,” she said.

“I came from New York City and never thought I’d love Chicago as much as I do,” said Squerciati, who attended Northwestern University but didn’t make it to the city much as a broke college kid.

She’s also signed up for an improv class and an online writing course. 

“I’m doing all the things you say you’ll do if you ever have time,” she said. “It’s a blessed place to be to know I have a job, but I want to start working, and for the crew especially.”

Nick Gehlfuss, who lives on the Far North Side and played Dr. Will Halstead on “Chicago Med” but left the show after last season, has focused on getting more involved in union activities.

“There’s so much focus of survival and getting the next gig in our industry, but it’s important to understand what our rights are and how to protect ourselves,” he said.

He’s also been bicycling with his young son and playing the ukulele on occasion along the city’s lakefront.