His threatened livelihood ignites a lawless feud that involves a murder-for-hire plot against Baskin.
(Thereal Exotic remains behind barsfor attempting to facilitate the death of his rival.)
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: The people in this world are pretty controversial.
Sam Keeley, John Cameron Mitchell, and Nat Wolff in ‘Joe vs. Carole’.Mark Taylor/Peacock
What drew you to your respective roles?
JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL:Well we prefer bland roles, usually.
No, it’s a dream to play these kinds of roles.
John Cameron Mitchell as Joe Exotic in ‘Joe vs. Carole’.Mark Taylor/Peacock
I mean, complexity, nuance.
This is the meat of our craft.
I learn about myself through the roles that I play.
Sam Keeley as John Finlay in ‘Joe vs. Carole’.Mark Taylor/Peacock
I freed myself in a way.
Playing Hedwig [in 2001’sHedwig and the Angry Inch] made me comfortable with my feminine side.
Playing Joe weirdly made me comfortable with my masculine side.
Nat Wolff as Travis Maldonado in ‘Joe vs. Carole’.Mark Taylor/Peacock
It’s been an honor to venture to capture a piece of these people’s lives.
NAT WOLFF:I was obsessed with the documentary series, like everybody else.
And he wrote back, ‘yo do not email us at 2 in the morning.’
But then a year goes by and then I got to do it.
I knew that Travis passed away.
MITCHELL:I like that Nat said the live-action version of this, because that was a cartoon.
It’s Carole and Joe equally, you know what I mean?
Joe is just mad that somebody else is playing him.
But I really hope he sees this, because it really honors him as a human being.
WOLFF:I thought that.
Everybody just loved him so much and they’re all still heartbroken over his death.
Who did you speak with?
WOLFF:I’m not allowed to say.
MITCHELL:Don’t ask about the source!
Kyle MacLachlan mentioned during our interview that he auditioned for the role of Howard Baskin 17 times.
Tell me about your audition processes.
That’s SirKyle MacLachlan.
Mine was short and sweet.
MITCHELL:[Laughs]I only had three days to prepare an audition tape.
It was last minute.
I didn’t have to do a call back.
I improvised the hell out of my scenes but it didn’t hurt me, I guess.
I’ll just forget about it.'
She called me and was like, ‘What do you want more than anything?’
And I went, ‘I don’t know.’
She was like, ‘What have you auditioned for lately?’
and I was like, ‘No idea.’
I just had no concept that it would’ve been this show.
She eventually broke the news.
Poor Kyle, man.
WOLFF:I don’t believe that.
I think he was joking.
MITCHELL:He better have been.
WOLFF:I had sent that email to my agent and the show was coming around.
I was like, ‘I told these guys!’
That’s why I emailed at 2 in the morning!
I was like, ‘Am I too late?’
I’m like, ‘I’m not more of a John.
I connected to that part in a quick, deep way.
And then I auditioned for Howard 17 times, too.
There have been some other related documentaries and projects released sinceTiger King’s explosive debut.
What would you say sets this adaptation apart?
MITCHELL:I think the other ones are exploitative.
I don’t wanna limit them because they certainly struck a chord, but those are real people.
I think of this as art.
You go inside these characters, you come out the other side.
It’s awash with empathy without stinting on the absurdity and comedy.
If you’re in any way interested in these characters, give the first episode a try.
It’s very different from any other portrayal of these characters.
WOLFF:I totally second that.
We give a more objective view of the whole thing.
It does what a lot of great art does.
It kinda makes you see the world in a new light."
All eight episodes ofJoe vs. Caroleare available on Peacock now.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
