‘The First Lady’ Stars Viola Davis, Michelle Pfeiffer and Gillian Anderson on Becoming Michelle Obama, Betty Ford and Eleanor Roosevelt

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorWelcome to this week’s “Just for Variety.”Searchlight Pictures’ “Fire Island” doesn’t come out until June, but Matt Rogers, who plays Luke in the queer rom- com, has high hopes that it launches a big gay franchise.Joel Kim Booster and Bowen Yang star as friends who head to the iconic LGBTQ vacation locale ready to have the best summer of their lives. “‘Provincetown’ should be the sequel,” Rogers told me at the premiere of his Showtime show “I Love That for You.” “Let’s do ‘Palm Springs.’ Let’s do ‘Puerto Vallarta.’ This is going to be the ‘Fast & Furious for queers!”Then Rogers, who co-hosts the “Las Culturistas” podcast with Yang, cracks, “I’m the Michelle Rodriguez of the bunch, baby.” As I was the first to report, “Fire Island” will world premiere on June 2 at NewFest Pride in NYC.

Viola Davis is in official talks to lead a Peacemaker spinoff series, according to reports.

Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller is the latest DC Comics character getting the small screen treatment.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterViola Davis is eyeing a return to the role of Amanda Waller in her own spinoff series currently in the works at HBO Max, Variety has learned from sources.Exact plot details are mostly under wraps at this point, but sources say the show will build off of Waller’s appearance at the end of the “Suicide Squad” spinoff series “Peacemaker.”SPOILER ALERT: In the Season 1 finale of “Peacemaker,” Waller’s daughter and spy Adebayo (Danielle Brooks) outs her mother publicly for her work with Task Force X and the Suicide Squad. Davis made brief cameo appearances in the first and last episodes of the show.Davis would executive produce the series in addition to starring.

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 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.”

Sasha Obama is dating the son of a famous actor!

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.

A new First Boyfriend? After transferring to the University of Southern California, Sasha Obama is reportedly dating writer and director Clifton Powell Jr.

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 told Oprah Winfrey she has God to thank for helping her meet her now-husband Julius Tennon.

inked a three-year agreement for an undisclosed amount. According to Bloomberg and The Los Angeles Times, the couple will not be renewing their contract, which ends in October, and they are now seeking a new home for their podcasts.

depiction of Michelle Obama in Showtime’s series “The First Lady” turned heads on Sunday evening following the premiere.The episode made fans’ jaws drop when they saw the Oscar winner’s portrayal of former President Barack Obama’s wife.Watchers were confused over one scene in which Davis, 56, is talking and her lips were overly-pursed in an exaggerated way. The scene involves Davis as Michelle conversing with her husband Barack, played by O.

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.

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.