Variety reports that Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis has been tapped to play our forever First Lady Michelle Obama in a series titled “First Ladies” which is currently in production at Showtime.
Viola Davis (@violadavis) to play @MichelleObama in 'First Ladies' anthology for Showtime https://t.co/jLOUV2d3UB pic.twitter.com/0U041lFG5B
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) August 26, 2019
The network has given the potential one-hour drama a three-script commitment, with novelist Aaron Cooley on board to not only write but executive produce as well.
The series will take a look into the personal and political lives of First Ladies throughout history, with season one focusing on Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford and Michelle Obama.
“First Ladies” will switch gears and focus on the East Wing of the White House, as opposed to the West, where many of history’s most impactful and world-changing decisions have been hidden from view, made by none other than America’s individually unique First Ladies.
This will be the first time Michelle Obama is portrayed on television. The former First Lady was notably played by Tika Sumpter in the 2016 film “Southside With You”.
And after 8 years in the White House, the Obamas are taking their talents to content creating with the launch of their production company, Higher Ground Production. Variety reports that so far the company’s originals slate is staying away from anything directly involving politics, with “Bloom,” an upstairs/downstairs drama series set in the world of fashion in post-WWII New York City, and a feature film adaptation of author David W. Blight’s “Frederic Douglass: Prophet of Freedom” at the top of the list.
The “First Ladies” series comes to us via Showtime and Lionsgate Television.
Davis and her partner Julius Tennon will serve as non-writing executive producers on the project via their JuVee Productions banner, alongside Cathy Schulman via Welle Entertainment, Jeff Gaspin via Gaspin Media, and Brad Kaplan via LINK Entertainment.
