‘Joe Exotic’: Kyle MacLachlan to Play Carole Baskin’s Husband in Peacock Series

Kyle MacLachlan
Courtesy of Showtime

The cast for Joe Exotic (working title) on Peacock keeps growing.

Kyle MacLachlan has been cast as Carole Baskin’s (Kate McKinnon) husband Howard in the limited series. Joe Exotic, based on the Wondery podcast hosted and reported by Robert Moor. The show follows big cat enthusiast Carole, who learns that fellow exotic animal lover Joe “Exotic” Schreibvogel breeds and uses his big cats for profit. A rivalry ensues when she tries to shut down his operation.

“But Carole has a checkered past of her own and when the claws come out, Joe will stop at nothing to expose what he sees as her hypocrisy,” the logline reads. “The results prove dangerous.” Described as “even-keeled,” Howard supports his wife throughout this endeavor with Joe.

MacLachlan joins a cast that also includes John Cameron Mitchell as Joe “Exotic” Schreibvogel, Brian Van Holt as zoo employee John Reinke, Nat Wolff as Joe’s husband Travis Maldonado, Sam Keeley as Joe’s husband John Finlay, and William Fichtner as reality show producer Rick Kirkham (replacing Dennis Quaid).

MacLachlan’s TV credits include Atlantic CrossingCarol’s Second Act, PortlandiaTwin Peaks, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

From UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, Etan Frankel will write Joe Exotic. Joining Frankel as executive producers are McKinnon, Hernan Lopez, Marshall Lewy, and Aaron Hart. The upcoming Peacock series comes after the Netflix documentary Tiger King (which premiered in March 2020) got everyone talking about Joe Exotic.

Joe Exotic, Limited Series, TBA, Peacock