A Scene From The Show, Where Viola Davis Played Michelle Obama, Was Heavily Criticized For Davis’ Portrayal Of The Former First Lady
Michelle Obama has finally weighed in on Viola Davis’ portrayal of her in Showtime’s “The First Lady,” and her answer was direct.
During an appearance on Keke Palmer’s podcast, Obama said she has not watched Davis play her in the series and admitted it is something she still cannot bring herself to do.
“I didn’t watch that,” Obama told Palmer. “That’s the one thing I can’t do.”
Obama and Palmer both made clear that they admire Davis, with Obama saying she loves the award winning actress. Still, the former first lady said she would likely need to speak with Davis before watching the series.
“We can talk about that scene, and then I’ll watch it,” Obama said.
The two did not say which scene they were referring to, but the comment appeared to point back to a widely criticized clip from “The First Lady” featuring Davis as Obama and O T Fagbenle as Barack Obama.
Jackson Lee Davis/Showtime
Viral Scene Drew Criticism Of Davis’ Portrayal
In the scene, Davis and Fagbenle’s characters argue, and viewers later criticized Davis’ facial expressions and the way she appeared to purse her lips while portraying Obama.
The reaction became one of the biggest conversations around the Showtime series, with many viewers debating whether Davis’ performance captured Obama or leaned too heavily into imitation.
Davis previously addressed the criticism in an interview with the BBC, calling public reaction part of the “occupational hazard” of being an actor.
“How do you move on from the hurt, from failure?” Davis said. “But you have to. Not everything is going to be an awards-worthy performance.”
Davis Defended Making Bold Choices
Davis also criticized some of the responses to her performance, saying certain critics used the moment as an “opportunity to be cruel.”
Still, Davis said her responsibility as an actor is to take risks, even when the final result does not land with every viewer.
“But ultimately I feel like it is my job as a leader to make bold choices,” Davis said. “Win or fail it is my duty to do that.”
Obama’s reaction adds a new layer to a conversation that began when “The First Lady” aired in 2022. For now, she has not watched Davis’ portrayal, but she did not close the door on seeing it later, preferably after a conversation with Davis herself.
