All hail the Tiger King — or, in this case, queen. As Dax Shepard and Edward Norton fight over playing Joe Exotic in a scripted television version of the true story behind the absolutely bananas Netflix documentary series The Tiger King, one star may come out on top. Could Margot Robbie really score the role of Joe Exotic?
The documentary series, which hit Netflix just in time for everyone to watch the surreal tale while social distancing, the wild story of exotic animal park owner Joe Exotic (real name: Joseph Maldonado-Passage) was originally the subject of the second season of Wondery’s Over My Dead Body podcast. Now, the TV adaptation of the podcast is currently in the works at Universal Cable Productions, with Kate McKinnon attached to portray Carole Baskin, an animal rights activist and Exotic’s longtime bitter rival. Who will play Exotic, however, is the real question mark.
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Robert Moor, the host of Wondery’s podcast Joe Exotic: Tiger King, told Andy Cohen’s SiriusXM show Radio Andy on Monday that while Sam Rockwell’s name has floated around for the part, there’s someone he would prefer for the role.
“My preferred casting — and this is off the wall — would be Margot Robbie,” Moor said. “I think Margot Robbie should play Joe in a like a gender switch [thing.]”
Moore tweeted his idea days ago and even managed to get some people on Twitter onboard the Robbie train.
A lotta people throwing out suggestions for who should play Joe in the TV miniseries adaptation of #joeexotic: #tigerking from @WonderyMedia.
— 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐫 (@robertmoor_) March 25, 2020
I’ve heard Martin Short, Matthew McConnaughey, Sam Rockwell, Dennis O’Hare. My pick?
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@MargotRobbie (with a mustache) pic.twitter.com/LEFHIJZSOP
It’s unclear if Moor means that Robbie should play Joe Exotic as a man, or if the character should be rewritten for TV as a woman. (Cate Blanchett, it should be noted, pulled off a version of Bob Dylan in 2007’s I’m Not There.) Either way: This idea is inspired.
@MargotRobbie is Joe Exotic 👍🏻
— Jesse (@olympicrunner) March 27, 2020
Someone suggested that when they make the inevitable Joe Exotic movie that Margot Robbie play Joe and now I completely agree. This could be Margot’s Monster. pic.twitter.com/fmKXqgYnrN
— William Hammock (@billyhammock) March 26, 2020
Someone said Margot Robbie with a mustache to play Joe Exotic and I can’t get over how amazing that’d be
— Amy Sligh (@AJamyjones) March 26, 2020
Robbie can do eccentric — just check out at her pitch-perfect portrayal of Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad and Birds of Prey. Look no further than HQ’s relationship with her pet hyena to know Robbie works very well off of CGI exotic animals. Plus, Robbie proved she has chemistry with McKinnon when they played Fox News cohorts in Bombshell — though their relationship was far friendlier than Carole and Joe's ever could be.
All I'm saying is: Moor, make your phone calls.
Refinery29 reached out to Robbie for comment.