Kate McKinnon? You know much I love her work. Is she coming back to “Saturday Night Live?” My guess is, if her “Joe Exotic” movie ever gets going, she’ll have to take a break from the show that made her. While she’s waiting, the Emmy winning genius of a comedic actor is currently seen everywhere on Verizon commercials.
Now the “Joe Exotic” movie, set for NBC’s Peacock if it ever gets made, has suffered a casting loss. Dennis Quaid is out as Rick Kirkham, the American journalist based in Norway who was the reality show producer of Netflix’s “Tiger King.” It’s a big part. Quaid’s reason is “scheduling conflict.” But he’s finishing playing Ronald Reagan in a mini-series right now and has nothing on the front burner. So who knows?
In Quaid’s place is William Fichtner, late of the comedy “Mom,” where he was stuck in a wheelchair for a couple of seasons. A graduate of “As the World Turns,” circa Julianne Moore, Fichtner has a stellar movie career resume. He adds to every project he’s involved with.
John Cameron Mitchell will play Joe Exotic, the title character. McKinnon is Carole Baskin, famous for possibly feeding her husband to tigers. Kate is a gifted actress, and this is her big dramatic moment. But she’s really a modern Lily Tomlin. She needs to be in great comedies. Somebody just to write her one. Maybe she should remake “All of Me,” the classic Carl Reiner film they made with Steve Martin.
Meanwhile, McKinnon’s “SNL” castmate Cecily Strong made cryptic remarks this week on “ET” about whether she’ll return for a 10th season. “SNL” is definitely in a flux mode. Lorne Michaels has his hands full this summer!
