Michelle Obama Shares Honest Feelings About Screen Portrayal

Attorney and former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, has revealed that she never watched American actor and producer Viola Davis portray her in the 2022 series ‘The First Lady’ before it was cancelled, and that she finds it difficult to watch someone recreate her life on screen. She described it as “the one thing I can’t do.”

During an appearance on the Baby, This is Keke Palmer, former First Lady Michelle Obama spoke about her decision, admitting she chose not to watch the series after host Keke Palmer mentioned one of its emotional scenes.

Obama laughed about it but stressed that her decision had nothing to do with dislike, adding that she still deeply admires the Oscar-winning actress.

Michelle Obama jokingly said she would like to invite Viola Davis onto her podcast to discuss the role, saying, “We can talk about that scene, and then I’ll watch it.”

After the series was released in 2022, some viewers and critics criticised Davis’ portrayal, saying her facial expressions and mannerisms felt exaggerated and distracting.

In past interviews with the BBC, Viola Davis described the criticism as painful but said taking risks is part of an actor’s job. Despite mixed reactions, both women have continued to show respect for each other’s work.