NBC's upcoming scripted series based on the life and times of Netflix's infamous Tiger King star Joe Exotic has found its lead star — and they chose within the Hedwig and the Angry Inch family!
According to a report from TVLine, out actor and director John Cameron Mitchell (who is currently starring in Hulu comedy Shrill and is probably best known for taking on the titular role in the 2001 film adaptation of beloved queer musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch) has been cast as gay zookeeper and convicted felon Joe Exotic in an upcoming NBC project, tentatively and simply entitled Joe Exotic.
Mitchell will be joining fellow out actor and our fave Saturday Night Live alum Kate McKinnon, who is playing Joe's equally infamous arch-nemesis and big cat conservationist Carole Baskin.
"I’m thrilled to take on the role of this modern folk antihero," Mitchell said in a statement when the news of his casting broke. "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."
"It’s clear that an over-the-top character like Joe needed someone very special," Steven O’Neill, Universal Content Productions's executive vice president of casting & talent development, added in his own statement. "We are so excited to have John Cameron Mitchell, an adored icon of the LGBTQ+ community, take on this compelling role. His casting speaks to our ongoing vision of universal storytelling, and we can’t wait for our audiences to experience the show."
A release date for NBC's Joe Exotic limited series hasn't been announced yet, but the series will be available to stream soon on NBC, Peacock, and USA Network.
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