John Cameron Mitchell is one of the most talented men in Hollywood – and New York City – but he is also one of the most underrated me in the business. He is not a household name in the same manner as someone like Matthew McConaughey or Brad Pitt, but his talent far surpasses that of many of the biggest stars in Hollywood (no offense aimed at any of those stars). If you don’t know who he is, it’s time to learn precisely who John Cameron Mitchell is, what he’s done, and the amazing work he is about to bring to the table as the Tiger King himself. Because, while 2020 brought the world a lot of unexpected things, the love affair so many had with a man who sports a mullet, married a man missing most of his teeth, and has a constant battle with a woman dressed daily in animal print clothing who is also rumored to have fed her first husband to a tiger might be the most unexpected. Mitchell is about to turn himself into the mullet-wearing king of the tigers for an upcoming project, and fans are clamoring to learn as much as they can.
1. He Created a Famous Musical
If you think we’ve made mention of Harry Potter a lot recently, you’re not mistaken. Here we go again mentioning Hedwig, but not the same Hedwig as Harry’s owl. Mitchell is the man who co-created “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” the exceptionally successful Broadway production that brought about a rock and roll band. He earned a Tony Award for that.
2. He is A Texan At Heart
John Cameron Mitchell was born in El, Paso, Texas, on April 21, 1963. He did not grow up in the Texas area, however. He grew up elsewhere with his mother, father, and his siblings. His eldest brother died at birth, and he has three younger brothers. One of those brothers passed away when Mitchell was in middle school.
3. His Father Was in the Army
We mentioned he did not grow up in Texas, and that is because his family moved a lot. He spent time living in places such as Kansas, New Mexico, Germany, and even Pennsylvania. His father was a U.S. Army Major General. He was also the Commander of West Berlin for four years in the 80s. His mother grew up in Scotland and came to America to teach.
4. He Was A Devout Catholic
In addition to being an Army brat as a child, he was also a devout Catholic. Faith was of great importance to his family, and he spent his childhood growing up in the Catholic church. He went to Catholic schools everywhere he lived as a child, including Germany.
5. He Did Not Graduate College
Mitchell did spend four years at university. However, he did not graduate. On that note, it is worth mentioning he did attend one of the most recognized schools in the United States while he was in college. He was a student at Northwestern. He was there beginning in 1981 and ending in 1985.
6. He Came Out in the 80s
It was 1985 when he told his family that he is gay. He was only 22 at the time, and he knew he had to tell them before much longer. However, he did not mention his sexuality to the world until 1992. That is when he made the decision to publicly announce his sexuality in a profile piece published by the New York Times.
7. He Has the Best Feeling About Hedwig
It was nearly 20 years of his life that this production was a major forerunner in his life. He co-created it. He acted in it. He made the role. He also let the role go and allowed it to take on a new and very revived feeling by some of the greatest actors in the world (hey there, Neil Patrick Harris). However, he did reprise the role in 2015 for a bit. He describes his relationship with Hedwig, “Like an ex-wife that I love and I’m glad we’re apart. Or a red-headed stepchild that I kind of raised by kicked out early. I’m happy for her to be working elsewhere with other people playing it,” he said.
8. He Was Involved in Unsimulated Sex Scenes
When he directed “Shortbus,” it was all about a sex therapist who has never experienced an orgasm. He engaged in some sexual acts in the movie that were not simulated acts. He also said his mother is proud of him for that one.
9. He’s Particular
He is a wonderful director, but he is particular about the work he does. He will not take on anything. He must know it’s good work, and he must know that he will do well. He must also have a feeling that he can make it better before he will accept the role.
10. Money is Not Everything to Mitchell
He is a man who understands that doing what you love is a lot more enjoyable than doing what you dislike for a larger paycheck. He’d rather make very little doing something he loves than a lot of money working on a project for which he has no passion.
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