#John Cameron Mitchell Cast as Joe Exotic in NBCUniversal’s Limited Series With Kate McKinnon

The Hedwig and the Angry Inch co-creator joins the previously announced scripted series Joe Exotic (working title), opposite Saturday Night Live star Kate McKinnon, who will play Carole Baskin.

Mitchell will take on the larger-than-life G.W. Zoo owner from Oklahoma who finds himself swept up in his hatred for Baskin, who repeatedly attempted to close down his business.

While Joe Exotic’s story came to light for many in Netflix docuseries Tiger King, this new iteration is based on the Wondery podcast Joe Exotic. The limited series will air across NBCUniversal’s Television and Streaming Entertainment portfolio, including Peacock.

“I’m thrilled to take on the role of this modern folk antihero,” said John Cameron Mitchell in a statement released to the press. “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.”

(Credit: Chris Haston/NBC; Netflix)

Written by Etan Frankel, Joe Exotic will be executive produced by Frankel, McKinnon, Hernan Lopez, Marshall Lewy, and Aaron Hart. The show will track Carole Baskin’s attempts to shut down Joe Exotic’s inhumane operation, but when he learns about some skeletons in her own closet, the cat claws come out.

Joe Exotic, TBA, NBCUniversal Television Networks and Streaming