Kyle MacLachlan will portray Howard Baskin in Peacock’s upcoming Joe Exotic series, according to Variety. MacLachlan is known for his starring role in David Lynch’s cult classic television show Twin Peaks, as well as guest roles on Sex and the City, Portlandia, and Agents of SHIELD. He also led Lynch’s 1984 film adaptation of Dune (which will soon get a 4k Ultra HD Blu-ray home media release). The publication’s report states that MacLachlan will star opposite series lead Kate McKinnon as Carole Baskin. The report describes Howard as “Carole’s even-keeled husband who supports her throughout the endeavor with Joe.”
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John Cameron Mitchell portrays Joe Exoctic in the series. “I’m thrilled to take on the role of this modern folk antihero,” Mitchell said in a statement provided with the casting announcement. “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, executive vice president of casting and talent development for series producer UCP added. “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.”
The show is an adaptation of the Wondery’s Joe Exotic podcast telling the story of Joe “Exotic” Schreibvogel. The story became a sensation when Netflix released its Tiger King documentary series retelling the strange true story. Exotic bred big cats for a touring show, beginning a rivalry with Baskin, who also deals in big cats. The feud escalated as more and more secrets about the two were revealed, and more and more drastic actions were taken.
Etan Frankel is Joe Exotic’s writer and executive producer. McKinnon is also executive producing, as is Wondery’s Hernan Lopez, Marshall Lewy, and Aaron Hart. UCP is producing, and Justin Tipping will direct the first four episodes of the show. The rest of the cast includes Brian Van Holt as John Reinke, Sam Keeley as John Finlay, William Fichtner as Rick Kirkham, and Natt Wolff as Travis Maldonado.
What do you think of Kyle MacLachlan joining the Joe Exotic series? Let us know in the comments.
