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Tiger King's Joe Exotic wants Brad Pitt to play him in a movie

Photo credit: Netflix
Photo credit: Netflix

From Digital Spy

Netflix's Tiger King subject Joe Exotic has some very high standards over who should play him in a movie or TV show.

It was reported earlier this week that a TV drama related to (but not inspired by) Tiger King is already in the works, with Saturday Night Live cast member Kate McKinnon in talks to play Joe's nemesis Carole Baskin.

Naturally, Joe Exotic – real name Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage – has some thoughts on who should be playing him in this series… and he's setting his sights sky-high.

"He would like Brad Pitt or David Spade to play him," Tiger King co-director Rebecca Chaiklin told The Hollywood Reporter.

Photo credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for SBIFF
Photo credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for SBIFF

Related: What the Tiger King documentary didn't tell you about Joe Exotic and his husbands

Actually, there's one slight correction – as Chaiklin ultimately specified to the news outlet as they were discussing potential casting options.

"He doesn't refer to David Spade as David Spade – he refers to him as [his character] Joe Dirt."

One has to think one of the two might be a bit easier to sign up when it comes to Brad Pitt and David Spade. Meanwhile, Carole Baskin has already made a plea over the TV drama casting Kate McKinnon to play her.

"Kate McKinnon is a wonderful actress," she told Entertainment Weekly this week. "Big Cat Rescue implores Kate McKinnon to not use real big cats and cubs in the making of her series."

Photo credit: Netflix
Photo credit: Netflix

Related: 17 of the best Tiger King memes

Instead, Carole Baskin is asking makers of the upcoming TV drama – which is based on the Wondery podcast series Over My Dead Body rather than Tiger King – to use CGI animals rather than actual tigers.

Tiger King is currently streaming worldwide on Netflix.


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