Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis will play former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama in a new TV series on the Showtime cable network.
On Wednesday, Showtime issued a first season order for an hour-long drama “First Ladies,” in which Davis will star as the former First Lady.
The series will center around the wives of U.S. presidents and their lives in the White House. Season One will portray the lives of Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford, and Obama.
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“Presidents’ spouses have wielded remarkable influence, not only on the nation’s leaders but on the country itself,” Jana Winograde, president of entertainment for Showtime, said.
The series will look at American history presidencies through a female lens – the first ladies.
Put together by Showtime and Lionsgate Television, the series will delve into the East Wing of the White House and bring to fore the most impactful and remarkable decisions that have been made by America’s alluring, intricate and vibrant First Ladies.
Davis who made history as the first African American actress to earn three Oscar nominations in a lifetime is executive producing alongside Julius Tennon via their JuVee Productions banners. Author Aaron Cooley created the series and will write and executive produce as well.
“‘First Ladies’ fits perfectly within the Showtime wheelhouse of drama and politics, revealing how many personal relationships impact both domestic and global events. Having Viola Davis play Michelle Obama is a dream comes true, and we couldn’t be luckier to have her extraordinary talent to help launch this series,” Winograde said in a statement.
This will be the first time former first lady Michelle Obama will be portrayed on Television. She has been portrayed on film before, but never on television. She was notably played by Tika Sumpter in the 2016 picture “Southside With You.”
Davis’ TV schedule is set to clear up in May, as her five-year, six-season stint on “How to Get Away with Murder” comes to an end.
