Viola Davis doesn't come across as an actor who's easily intimidated. So it's a bit surprising to hear her reveal how daunted she was by the task of playing Michelle Obama in "The First Lady," which celebrates the life of three White House icons.
"I'm not going to lie. I was terrified," Davis said during a virtual news conference with TV critics in February. "I think I listened to her podcasts probably over a hundred times and still felt terrified. I had the insurmountable task of everyone knowing who Michelle Obama is. Everybody has claimed ownership of her. Everybody has a time period where they loved her hair or hated her hair or loved her eyebrows or hated her eyebrows, and they feel like they own her."
Davis' performance isn't perfect. She's mesmerizing when it's time to roar but struggles with nailing down Obama's lighter side. But the 10-part series, debuting at 9 p.m. ET Sunday on Showtime, still ends up being a showcase for the Oscar and Tony winner, as well as her co-stars.
