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See how the cast of Showtime’s 'The First Lady' stacks up to their IRL counterparts, including Viola Davis as Michelle Obama and more.
- egonzales@hearst.com
- 3 min
Apr 16, 2022 · Oscar winner Viola Davis plays Michelle Obama, Golden Globe winner Michelle Pfeiffer plays Betty Ford, and Emmy winner Gillian Anderson plays Eleanor Roosevelt.
- Viola Davis as Michelle Obama
- Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford
- Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt
- O-T Fagbenle as Barack Obama
- Lexi Underwood as Malia Obama
- Saniyya Sidney as Sasha Obama
- Regina Taylor as Marian Shields Robinson
- Aaron Eckhart as Gerald Ford
- Dakota Fanning as Susan Elizabeth Ford
- Kiefer Sutherland as Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Unlike some of the other stars of "The First Lady," Davis is playing a person who can actually watch the show — and she reportedly feels the pressure. During a CTAM panel in Feb., Davis said the thought of Michelle Obama watching her portrayal of her "keeps her up at night," per Deadline. “You don’t want to insult them by your portrayal," she said....
Michelle Pfeiffer told TODAY she agreed to play Betty Ford before before reading the script for "The First Lady." "She saved hundreds of thousands of people's lives," Pfeiffer said on TODAY,referring to her work with the Betty Ford Center, now called the Hazeldon Betty Ford Clinic, a treatment center for people with substance dependence issues. For...
After playing Margaret Thatcher in "The Crown," Anderson is on to another political figure. She plays Eleanor Roosevelt, wife to Franklin D. Roosevelt, in the series. In the show, Roosevelt reckons with her own ambition to change the world, bucking against societal expectations of what a woman's place should be (especially in the White House). The ...
You may recognize Fagbenle from his work in “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “WeCrashed.” He plays Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, and the country’s first Black president, in “The First Lady.” Ahead of filming, the British actor tried to get in touch with the former president through co-star Davis's connection to Michelle Obama. “Th...
Lexi Underwood, who you can see in the Hulu series “Little Fires Everywhere,” will play Malia Obama, the oldest daughter of Barack and Michelle Obama.
Saniyya Sidney previously starred as Venus Williams in “King Richard.” Here, she sees Sasha Obama, the Obama’s younger daughter, through the transition of becoming a “first daughter.” The 15-year-old actor preciously worked with Davis for the movie “Fences.” Speaking to TODAY, she said it was a “gift” to reunite with Davis. “Not only have I grown a...
Emmy Award-winning actor Regina Taylor plays Michelle Obama's mother, who moved into the White House in 2009 to support her daughter and her growing granddaughters. "My job here is the easiest one of all: I just get to be Grandma," Robinson wrote in an essay about her time in the White House for Essence. "One of my biggest blessings is getting to s...
Eckhart (“The Dark Knight,” “Sully”) takes on the role of Gerald Ford, 38th President of the United States, in “The First Lady.” Ford assumed the presidency after Richard Nixon resigned in 1974.
Dakota Fanning ("The Alienist," "I Am Sam") plays Susan Elizabeth Ford Bales, daughter of Betsy and Gerald Ford. Bales went on to become a photojournalist and the author of two White House-set novels, both having a first daughter as a protagonist. Bales worked with her mother on many of her initiatives. They launched Breast Cancer Awareness Month i...
Sutherland previously played a president on TV — albeit under much different circumstances. In "Designated Survivor," he stars as Thomas Kirkman, a low-ranking government official who becomes president after an explosion kills everyone ahead of him in the presidential line of succession. "The First Lady" shows Roosevelt at various stages of his lau...
Jul 8, 2021 · See who's playing whom on Showtime's 'The First Lady,' the new anthology about the lives of U.S. first ladies, including Michelle Obama, Betty Ford, and Eleanor Roosevelt.
- Nick Romano
Apr 17, 2022 · The First Lady premieres Sunday, Apr 17 at 9 PM EST. Read on to see how the actors on the show stack up agains the real life political figures they portray. Eliza Scanlen as Eleanor...
Apr 17, 2022 · The first season of the anthology series stars Viola Davis as Michelle Obama, Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford and Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt. See the cast side-by-side with their...
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Apr 19, 2022 · The show puts the spotlight on the lives of three first ladies from disparate times — Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford, and Michelle Obama — and recounts their personal struggles and triumphs.
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