John Cameron Mitchell performs a new song written for Joe Exotic at The Tivoli in Brisbane

Before starring as Joe Exotic in the NBC series, US actor John Cameron Mitchell delighted fans at The Tivoli by performing songs as the Tiger King star alongside his on-screen husband.

Joe Exotic actor John Cameron Mitchell has delighted Brisbane fans, performing an original song as the Tiger King star ahead of filming the anticipated NBC series.

During his one-off show at The Tivoli on Tuesday night, Mitchell, who will begin filming Joe Exotic in Brisbane on Thursday, donned the recognisable blonde mullet wig and performed two songs, a cover and an original.

He was joined on stage by fellow American actor Nat Wolff, who will portray Exotic’s late husband Travis Maldonado in the NBC series, and Queensland guitarist Simon Gardner.

Actors John Cameron Mitchell and Nat Wolff perform as Joe Exotic and Travis Maldonado at The Tivoli on July 6.

“This is important for me tonight; I’ve got to get ready,” Mitchell said, adjusting his wig.

The duo first performed a cover of Exotic’s song I Saw A Tiger, to the laughs and cheers of the socially-distanced Tivoli crowd.

“Not a lot of rehearsal,” Mitchell joked at the end of the cover before revealing he had written his own song inspired by the former zookeeper.

He said the song was called Call Me Joe and was Exotic’s “mourning song” for his two late husbands.

Actors John Cameron Mitchell and Nat Wolff perform as Joe Exotic and Travis Maldonado at The Tivoli on July 6.

“Joe had a hard life and our version of the story is going to be about the people rather than the sensation,” Mitchell told the crowd.

Cast and crew from Joe Exotic, having completed their mandatory quarantine last week, were in the audience watching on.

“This is the only time he’ll let us call him John,” Wolff said on stage.

“Usually he makes us call him Joe. We’ve been his husbands for a couple of months now.”

Saturday Night Live star Kate McKinnon, who also serves as executive producer, will play Exotic’s rival Carole Baskin, Brian Van Holt is John Reinke, Sam Keeley is John Finlay and William Fichtner has replaced Dennis Quaid as Rick Kirkham.

American actor John Cameron Mitchell will play Joe Exotic in the NBC series in Brisbane. Picture: Supplied

It is one of three NBC series that will film in Brisbane as part of a multimillion dollar Federal Government deal, which began with Young Rock late last year.

Speaking to the Courier-Mail last week, Mitchell said they had been told “not to connect with the real folks” because they “want to be impartial”.

“The mullet is now embedded in my brain. I’m practising being him in quarantine,” he said, adding that the zoo animals would be included digitally in the series.

“I was a bit nervous about the tigers – not because of danger but because I’m allergic to cats. But all animals will be CG. Keeps PETA happy.”