Joe Exotic is reportedly getting married again, this time from prison. Here’s everything we know about the Tiger King star’s unexpected love story…
Just when you thought the Tiger King saga was over, Joe Exotic is back in the headlines — and no, it’s not about Carole Baskin this time. The 61-year-old former zoo operator and Netflix phenomenon is getting married again… from prison. Because of course he is.
The announcement dropped earlier this month and, honestly, it’s giving Season 1 energy all over again. Joe Exotic — real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage — is reportedly engaged to a fellow inmate named Jorge Marquez, and the two are planning a prison wedding. Yup. Tiger King goes rom-com (kind of).
A recap for the uninitiated (if you somehow missed the chaos)
Let’s back up for a sec. When Tiger King landed on Netflix in March 2020, the world was in lockdown, and the docuseries was the messy, chaotic escape we didn’t know we needed. Joe Exotic was a mullet-wearing, gun-toting, country-singing zoo owner with a vendetta against animal rights activist Carole Baskin. Allegations flew, murder-for-hire plots unraveled, and the whole thing felt more like satire than real life.
Fast forward to today, and Joe Exotic is still serving a 21-year sentence after being convicted in 2020 for attempting to hire someone to kill Baskin and for various wildlife violations. And yet — he remains a pop culture enigma, still finding ways to stay relevant.
Who is Jorge Marquez? The new fiancé behind bars
So, who’s the new man in Joe’s life?
According to reports, Jorge Marquez is also an inmate, and the two met while incarcerated. Details are scarce (because, well, prison), but Joe has said publicly that this relationship is the real deal. He described Jorge as “kind, intelligent, and loving” — which is honestly refreshing, considering his last relationship kind of imploded under the weight of fame, addiction, and a tiger-filled reality TV circus.
Marquez hasn’t made public statements (and probably won’t), but sources close to Joe say he’s “in love like never before.” Take that how you will.
Joe Exotic’s past relationships: A wild ride
This isn’t Joe’s first rodeo when it comes to headline-grabbing relationships. He’s been married before — most famously to Dillon Passage, who stood by Joe after his initial arrest and became a fan-favorite post-Tiger King. But that relationship ended in separation (and later, divorce), with Dillon moving on and Joe accusing him of betrayal in multiple interviews.
Joe was also in a polyamorous marriage with John Finlay and Travis Maldonado, a thruple arrangement that was featured heavily in the original Netflix doc. If you watched Season 1, you know the story was both jaw-dropping and tragic.
So, to say Joe Exotic has had a complicated love life would be an understatement. But maybe this time, behind bars and out of the spotlight, things might be different. Or maybe we’re just watching another chapter of the ever-evolving Joe Exotic saga unfold.
A wedding in prison: What that might look like
While we don’t have a confirmed wedding date yet, sources say the couple plans to tie the knot inside the prison, which is standard for incarcerated weddings. And if you’re wondering whether Joe’s planning something extravagant — don’t worry, he’s still Joe Exotic.
He’s reportedly petitioning for permission to wear a custom outfit (mullet included), and you know there’ll be someone sneaking in a camera if this ever gets the Netflix green light. Honestly, if there’s a prison-themed sequel to Tiger King, we wouldn’t be surprised.
What this says about Joe Exotic — and us
It’s easy to brush this off as another wild plot twist in the Tiger King universe, but there’s something oddly poetic about Joe Exotic getting married again. For someone whose life has been dominated by chaos, ego, animals, and vendettas, love — however unconventional — feels like a full-circle moment.
It’s also kind of fitting for 2025. The world’s still weird. People are still rooting for messy, unpredictable anti-heroes. And deep down, maybe we all just want to believe that everyone — even Joe Exotic — deserves a little love story.
Tiger King 3, wedding bells edition?
Look, Joe Exotic getting married from prison isn’t exactly shocking. But it is… weirdly hopeful? Like a man who had everything fall apart, who made some truly horrific choices, still believes in love and connection. Whether you’re a fan or a hater, you’ve got to admit — it’s peak Joe.
As for the rest of us? We’ll be waiting to see if Netflix jumps on this with a third installment. Because, if nothing else, the world will tune in. Again.
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