About his participation in the show also starring Kate McKinnon, the 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' star says that he is 'thrilled to take on the role of this modern folk antihero.'
- Apr 20, 2021
AceShowbiz - "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" star John Cameron Mitchell has been cast as TV's Tiger King in a new series based on the hit podcast that helped make Joe Exotic famous.
He will play the larger-than-life zoo owner, born Joseph Schreibvogel, who is currently serving time behind bars for his part in a plot to kill his rival, Carole Baskin, who will be played by comedienne and actress Kate McKinnon.
"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."
Series producer and UCP's executive vice president of casting and talent development, Steven O'Neill, chimed in, "It's clear that an over-the-top character like Joe needed someone very special. We are so excited to have John Cameron Mitchell, an adored icon of the LGBTQ community, take on this compelling role."
About the casting of the "Shrill" actor, O'Neill went on to gush, "His casting speaks to our ongoing vision of universal storytelling, and we can't wait for our audiences to experience the show."
Joe Exotic's life and his battle with Baskin, documented in the podcast "Joe Exotic: Tiger King", was turned into a Netflix docu-series, which was one of the biggest hits during the pandemic lockdown.
Nicolas Cage has been cast as Joe Exotic in a separate project, which is in development at Amazon.
