Their persuasion could build a nation.
An upcoming Showtime series will feature notable First Ladies of the United States, namely Michelle Obama, Betty Ford, and Eleanor Roosevelt.
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Aptly titled The First Lady, the show will premiere on April 17 or Easter Sunday.
Oscar, Emmy, and Tony-winning actress Viola Davis will star as Obama. Meanwhile, Emmy-winning actress Gillian Anderson will play Roosevelt while Golden Globe-winning actress Michelle Pfeiffer will portray Ford.
“A revelatory reframing of American leadership through the lens of the First Ladies, delving deep into their personal and political lives,” reads the production’s official synopsis.
The First Lady will explore everything from the White House matriarchs’ journeys to Washington, family life, and political contributions.
The announcement of the series also coincides with the annual observation of Women’s History Month in March.
Inside White House walls
The show took inspiration from the 2016 film Jackie, which earned Natalie Portman an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.
In one scene, Portman as Jacqueline Kennedy took the media through the East Wing of the White House.
Producer Cathy Schulman’s takeaway from the scene is that the first ladies all slept in the same rooms. From there, the showrunner’s idea for The First Lady blossomed.
“It’s so peculiar. I mean, not to sound perverse, but I was like, ‘Oh, my God, imagine if these White House walls could talk,’” Schulman told Vanity Fair.
Obama was the first African American first lady, Ford was known for her strong opinions on public issues, and Roosevelt was regarded in her time as one of the most widely admired and powerful women.
Banner Photo via Viola Davis’ Twitter
