Viola Davis has made a name for herself as one of the foremost black actresses in recent times. Her contributions to the film industry have influenced black women to dive into the world of acting.
Last year, the actress received her fourth Oscar nomination, smashing the previous record jointly held by herself and Octavia Spencer and becoming the most-nominated Black actress in Oscars history. As such, it was only apt that she was deemed worthy by Lionsgate and Showtime to portray an incarnate of Michelle Obama in their upcoming series dubbed ‘The First Lady.’
Read on for more details.
‘The First Lady,’ Trailer
In the “The First Lady” trailer premiered by Showtime, fans had a first video look of Davis starring as Michelle, one of the first ladies to have graced the white house. The series will feature other former first ladies and their husbands who led the country throughout American history.
Davis features in the series alongside “The Handmaid’s Tale” actor O.T. Fagbenle, who portrays Barack Obama. Malia and Sasha Obama are played by “Little Fires Everywhere” star Lexi Underwood and Saniyya Sidney from “King Richard.”
Fans saw Davis truly embrace the role in the short footage. At one point, she said, “In four years, I don’t want to look back and think, ‘What did I become living in that house?'”
“I will choose my team, pick my causes. “Understood?”
Although the trailer only delivered a snippet of her performance, it whets the appetite of fans who can’t wait to watch the actress when the series premieres.
Viola Davis Researched Michelle Obama To Portray Her In The Series
Viola Davis meticulously studied Michelle Obama in preparation for the role. In an interview last year, she disclosed to Entertainment Weekly that she had read her novel “Becoming” and watched her Netflix documentary of the same name to improve her demeanor. She also described how she felt about the character she was portraying.
“I feel very protective of Michelle. It’s our job as actors not to judge whoever we are portraying, but I ended up thinking she’s just dope,” she told the news outlet.
The actress also took to Instagram to give fans a glimpse at the first look from the series. The Emmy award-winner captioned, “It was terrifying but an incredible honor to portray this extraordinary woman. Can’t wait to share.”
Storyline
“The First Lady” will delve into chronicle the past lives of America’s first women who notably spent the majority of their time in the East Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C.
According to Showtime, “This series will peel back the curtain on the personal and political lives of three unique, enigmatic women, tracing their journeys to Washington through interweaving storylines with an enlightening intimacy, with season one focusing on Michelle Obama, Betty Ford, and Eleanor Roosevelt.”
The 10-episode series, developed by Aaron Cooley and produced by Lionsgate Television for Showtime, had “Crash” producer Cathy Schulman alongside Oscar and Emmy winner Susanne Bier leading the production team. The drama series also had several talented A-list actors portraying the first ladies, their husbands/former U.S presidents, families, and colleagues.
Betty Ford And Eleanor Roosevelt
Michelle Pfeiffer stars as Betty Ford, with Aaron Eckhart taking on Gerald Ford. Kristine Froseth from “Looking for Alaska” and “Top Gun: Maverick” star Jake Picking will play younger versions of the presidential couple while Dakota Fanning portrays Susan Ford, their daughter.
Gillian Anderson also appears as Eleanor Roosevelt, with Eliza Scanlen portraying a younger incarnate of the part. Christopher Plummer plays an older version of Franklin D. Roosevelt, while Kiefer Sutherland stars as his younger version.
Ellen Burstyn portrays the president’s mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt, and Caillee Spaeny plays his daughter Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.
More cast members include Derek Cecil Rhys Wakefield, Isaiah Williams, Kathleen Garrett, and others. The upcoming anthology series will premier in the first quarter of 2022.
