Kevin Bacon would take Joe Exotic role 'in a second'

Kevin Bacon would jump at the opportunity to portray Tiger King star Joe Exotic on the big screen because the incarcerated zookeeper is his "type of guy".

The Footloose star was recently named as the bookmakers' favourite to bring Exotic to life in the inevitable movie adaptation of the stunning true-crime tale, which is documented in Netflix hit Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.

And during an appearance on U.S. breakfast show Today, Bacon admitted he is ready and waiting for the call.

"I'd play Joe Exotic in a second," he insisted, revealing he first pondered the casting when his actress wife, Kyra Sedgwick, asked him why he was even watching the docuseries.

"'This is an amazing show,'" he recalled telling her. "I said, 'The reason that I'm watching this show is because these are the kind of characters I get asked to play.' This is my type of guy, you know, so listen, fingers crossed!"

The 61-year-old has even been campaigning for the role on social media, with him sharing a mocked-up image of his face on Exotic's body.

"I saw Tiger King, and now I bet you can't unsee this," he posted on Twitter in early April. "Bacon Exotic might have a nice ring to it?"

Bacon isn't the only star eager to sink his teeth into the outrageous character - Dax Shepard threw his name out for consideration in March, while bookies believe Edward Norton, Billy Bob Thornton, David Spade, and Ben Stiller would also be good choices to play Exotic, real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage, in a Hollywood biopic.

Wendy McLendon-Covey is the frontrunner to portray Exotic's rival, big cat sanctuary owner Carole Baskin, who Exotic is accused of plotting to have killed. Allison Janney, Kristen Wiig, Jennifer Coolidge, and Laura Dern are also expected to be in consideration.