Davis portrays Michelle Obama in ‘The First Lady’.
Viola Davis might be beloved and considered one of the best actresses working today but for the first time, one of her roles has drawn criticism from fans across the globe.
Davis currently stars as Michelle Obama in the new Showtime series The First Lady which premiered on April 17th and swiftly became a topic of discussion online with many critiquing her exaggerated facial expressions meant to echo Michelle Obama.
In a new interview, Viola said “incredibly hurtful when people say negative things about your work” but accepted that it was an occupational hazard saying, “How do you move on from the hurt, from failure? But you have to. Not everything is going to be an awards-worthy performance.”
Speaking about critics Viola said, “They always feel like they’re telling you something that you don’t know. Somehow that you’re living a life that you’re surrounded by people who lie to you and ‘I’m going to be the person that leans in and tells you the truth’. So it gives them an opportunity to be cruel to you.”
The new show also stars Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford and Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt. It delves into the lives of the former first ladies.
