The ‘Joe Exotic’ Limited Series Has Cast Its Tiger King To Play Opposite Kate McKinnon’s Carole Baskin

The Joe Exotic limited series coming to NBC, Peacock, and USA Networks has officially cast its “Tiger King” lead. Broadway and screen actor John Cameron Mitchell has scored the part of Joseph Schreibvogel aka Joseph Maldonado-Passage aka Joe Exotic. Mitchell is best known for being the co-creator and performer of the hit musical Hedwick and the Angry Inch, and he also starred in the theatrical adaptation along with several film and television projects ranging from How to Talk to Girls at Parties to The Good Fight.

Via Variety:

“I’m thrilled to take on the role of this modern folk antihero,” said Mitchell. “Joe and I are the same age and like him, I grew up queer in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas so I feel like I know a little bit about this guy and his desperate attempt to conquer an inhospitable world.”

Because there are a lot of Tiger King shows and movies flying around ever since the Netflix documentary became a viral sensation thanks to launching right as America went into lockdown, Mitchell will be starring in the previously announced Joe Exotic series from Saturday Night Live alum Kate McKinnon who will be playing Exotic’s rival and animal rights activist Carole Baskin. The limited series will be reportedly based on the Wondery Podcast of the same name and is not to be confused with Amazon’s separate Tiger King show that will star Nicolas Cage as Exotic in his first television role.

The real Joe Exotic is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence for attempting to have Baskin killed in a murder-for-hire plot. He recently made headlines after failing to secure a pardon from the outgoing President Trump.