Michelle Pfeiffer, Viola Davis & Gillian Anderson Talk Becoming ‘The First Lady’

The First Lady.Davis called the reception to the series “incredibly hurtful” after the Washington Post’s Inkoo Kang criticised “Emmy-baiting performances” from Davis as well as Michelle Pfeiffer and Gillian Anderson.“Critics absolutely serve no purpose,” Davis said in an interview with the BBC. “And I’m not saying that to be nasty, either.

Viola Davis is speaking out about the criticism she's been facing recently. In an interview with the BBC’s  program, the 56-year-old Oscar winner addressed recent critiques about her portrayal of former first lady Michelle Obama, calling them «incredibly hurtful.»Davis stars in the first season of Showtime's new scripted anthology series, alongside Michelle Pfeiffer and Gillian Anderson, who star as Betty Ford and Eleanor Roosevelt, respectively. O-T Fagbenle portrays former President Barack Obama.The actress has specifically come under fire for the facial expressions and poses she holds while portraying the Harvard Law School grad. Still, Davis acknowledged that criticism was an «occupational hazard» of acting.«How do you move on from the hurt, from failure?» she asked.

Viola Davis isn't holding anything back in her newly released memoir, .The 56-year-old actress bares it all in the emotional book; looking back on a traumatic childhood filled with poverty, abuse and heartbreak. The Tony, Oscar and Emmy winner recounts living in a condemned building, vicious bullying by boys who threw rocks at her for being Black, enduring more racism as she made her mark within the predominantly white entertainment industry and eventually finding joy in the life she built with her husband, Julius Tennon.Speaking with ET's Kevin Frazier, Davis admitted that reliving her past for the book was «ultimately very cathartic» and it helped her understand herself from a new perspective.«I felt like I was in the middle of a really weird existential crisis during the pandemic, a crisis of meaning,» she shared.

Putting it all out there. Viola Davis doesn’t have time for critics — especially when it comes to her portrayal of Michelle Obama on Showtime’s The First Lady.

Viola Davis is responding to the criticism she received online for her performance as Michelle Obama in Showtime’s The First Lady.

Manori Ravindran International EditorViola Davis has responded to critics of her portrayal of Michelle Obama in Showtime’s “The First Lady,” admitting that “not everything is going to be an awards-worthy performance.”In an interview with BBC News to promote her new memoir, “Finding Me,” the Oscar, Tony and Emmy-winning actor spoke candidly about her turn as the former First Lady, which drew barbs from audiences and critics for Davis’ take on Obama’s facial expressions and pursed lips.Davis said it was “incredibly hurtful when people say negative things about your work.”“How do you move on from the hurt, from failure?” she said. “But you have to.

Viola Davis has hit back at criticism of her portrayal of Michelle Obama in Showtime’s The First Lady by decrying critics as “absolutely serving no purpose.”

Viola Davis debuted the first trailer for “The Woman King” at CinemaCon on Monday, and her director promised that when we finally got the chance to see the film that she “kicks ass.” She did not disappoint in that first look and excited a packed CinemaCon crowd on the convention’s opening night. The exclusive look revealed shows her leading the most elite team of female warriors, and the film is a historical drama, epic and action movie based on the untold true story of an 18th century African Kingdom.

NEW YORK -- Viola Davis' latest honor is not for her acting, but for her writing. The Oscar winner's upcoming memoir, “Finding Me,” is Oprah Winfrey's new book club pick.“Finding Me,” which comes out next Tuesday, traces Davis' journey from what she has called a “crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island” to acclaim for her work on stage and screen.

Viola Davis’ transformation into Michelle Obama in ‘ The First Lady’ relied on extensive “research” by her hair and makeup team. Hair stylist Louisa Anthony “did a lot of Google searches” to get to grips with how to “recreate” the 58-year-old wife of President Barack Obama's hair with “accuracy” on the 56-year-old actress. Louisa told Harper’s Bazaar: “The scene where Viola is at a photo shoot with the now historic black-and-white dress—Ms.

Look… even a heavy hitter like Viola Davis can miss every once in a while.

Viola Davis as Michelle Obama, Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford and Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt, Showtime's   examines American leadership from the eyes of three iconic First Ladies. Premiering on Sunday, April 17,  will dive into Obama's, Ford's and Roosevelt's political and personal lives, while examining the impact the White House's women had on the nation. The new drama series is streaming exclusively on Showtime. Watch on Showtime«She is all things.

Inside the halls of power. Showtime’s new series The First Lady examines what goes on in the White House through the lens of presidential wives — and several stars underwent major transformations to play them.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorMichelle Pfeiffer didn’t know much about Betty Ford before she signed on to play her in the new Showtime anthology series “The First Lady.”“I really only knew about, of course, the Betty Ford Center, which is I think what she’s the most famous for,” Pfeiffer told me at the show’s premiere on Thursday at the DGA building in Los Angeles. “And I knew that she came out and was open and transparent about her own issues with substance abuse and alcoholism, which was very, very taboo at the time.

Viola Davis as Michelle Obama, Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford and Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt, Showtime's   examines American leadership from the eyes of three iconic First Ladies. Premiering on Sunday, April 17,  will dive into Obama's, Ford's and Roosevelt's political and personal lives, while examining the impact the White House's women had on the nation. The new drama series is set to stream exclusively on Showtime. Sign Up for Showtime«She is all things.

Viola Davis as Michelle Obama, Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford and Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt, Showtime's   examines American leadership from the eyes of three iconic First Ladies. Premiering on Sunday, will dive into Obama's, Ford's and Roosevelt's political and personal lives, while examining the impact the White House's women had on the nation. Sign Up for Showtime«She is all things. She is a hero,» Davis told ET about portraying Mrs.

Viola Davis is playing Michelle Obama in the upcoming Showtime series “The First Lady”, but admits she’s “terrified” wondering what Obama will think of her performance.

LOS ANGELES -- “The First Lady” presents three influential women, three acclaimed actors playing them, and a century of history encompassing wars, presidential scandal and America's stubborn gender and race fault lines.The ambitious Showtime drama series proved an irresistible challenge for Oscar-winning director Susanne Bier. While its subjects — Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford and Michelle Obama — each have a “compelling and gripping" story, the sum is even greater, Bier said of her first biographical project.“It was interesting to me that it wasn't one biopic,” Bier said in an interview.

The stars of The First Lady are hitting the red carpet!