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John Cameron Mitchell to play Joe Exotic on NBCUniversal series

John Cameron Mitchell to play Joe Exotic on NBCUniversal series

The Joe Exotic series that's in the works at NBCUniversal has found its title character.

John Cameron Mitchell, best known for his roles on The Good Fight (Felix Staples) and Hedwig and the Angry Inch, will play the role of Joe "Exotic" Schreibvogel, the Oklahoma zoo owner made infamous in the Netflix docuseries Tiger King.

Matthew Placek; Netflix

"I'm thrilled to take on the role of this modern folk antihero," said Mitchell in a statement. "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."

Mitchell currently appears on Hulu's comedy series Shrill and will be seen in Netflix's Sandman. He has a musical podcast series called "Anthem: Homunculus" that features Glenn Close, Patti LuPone, and Cynthia Erivo.

As previously announced, the limited series will also star Kate McKinnon as Carole Baskin, the self-described conservationist who discovered how Joe Exotic was breeding big cats and using them for profit. The limited series will air across NBCU's scripted platforms — NBC, Peacock, and USA.

The series is based on the Wondery podcast "Joe Exotic" that's hosted and reported by Robert Moor. It will center on Baskin and she vows to shut down Joe Exotic's business venture. A premiere date has not been announced.

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