The First Lady: Viola Davis On Why She Was Terrified To Play Michelle Obama
Viola Davis is revealing why she was terrified to play Michelle Obama in the upcoming anthology series, The First Lady. Created by Aaron Cooley, the show will serve as an observation of the White House throughout various points in history and three of its first ladies, responsible for some of the country's most pivotal and influential decisions that were oftentimes hidden from view. Prior to the series' April 17 premiere date, official first-look photos of Davis as Michelle Obama displayed the actor's transformation, as well as those from the majority of its cast. In addition to Davis, the show will star Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford and Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt, and will feature O.T. Fagbenle, Aaron Eckhart, Kiefer Sutherland, and Dakota Fanning in other roles.
News of Davis' casting first came out in 2019, with a then three-script commitment from Showtime, and the following year, it was announced that the network had given the project a series order. The actor is no stranger to taking on parts inspired by real-life figures, having previously been a part of the biographical feature films Get On Up and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, in which she portrayed the titular character. Davis spoke highly of her experience making Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and sharing the screen with the late Chadwick Boseman, and her performance as the «Mother of the Blues» received praise from critics, earning her a fourth Academy Award nomination.
Related: Becoming: What Michelle Obama's Netflix Documentary Leaves Out
Now, The Wrap is reporting on the most recent TCA Panel, where Davis recounted feeling nervous about playing Michelle Obama. She spoke about the difficult task of trying to portray someone that everyone knows. She stated,
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