John Cameron Mitchell and Kate McKinnon to Star in Untitled “Tiger King” Inspired Series

NBC Universal announces John Cameron Mitchell to play opposite Kate McKinnon in the upcoming scripted "Tiger King" inspired limited series.


NBCUniversal announces John Cameron Mitchell to play opposite Kate McKinnon in the upcoming scripted “Tiger King” inspired limited series.

Mitchell, a Tony award-winning Broadway and film actor, is reportedly set to play the role of the infamous Joe “Exotic” Schreibvogel. Mitchell is excited to take on the unique character of Schreibvogel. “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,” John Cameron Mitchell said in a statement. He is cast opposite the hilarious SNL veteran, Kate McKinnon, selected to play the eccentric Carole Baskin, who will be the focus of the new series. The show is based on the Wondery podcast “Joe Exotic: Tiger King” hosted by Robert Moor and will explore the dramatic rivalry between Baskin and Schreibvogel.

The show has no connection to the wildly popular original documentary miniseries, which premiered in March 2020 during the height of shelter in place restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The outlandish plot and larger-than-life characters drew a massive audience and sparked a pop culture phenomenon—even inspiring celebrity Halloween costumes. NBC is not the only network with plans to cash in on the incredibly popular story. CBS Television Studios and Imagine Television Studios also have a similar project in the works starring Nicolas Cage; however, it will center on Joe Exotic’s life and how he became the notorious personality he is known for today. The NBCU series does not have a premiere date set, but the show will be released simultaneously on NBC, Peacock, and the USA Network.

April 19, 2021

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