The women behind some of the most powerful men in the world are the focus of Showtime's forthcoming series, First Ladies. The show is said to still be in development, but according to Variety, Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis will portray former First Lady Michelle Obama. The outlet also states that the series will run for one-hour each episode, and currently there is a three script involvement contract.
Season one will highlight the lives of Betty Ford, wife of the 38th U.S. President Gerald Ford; Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of the 32nd U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt; and Michelle Obama, wife of the 44th U.S. President Barack Obama. Typically, television series' seem to focus on the hustle and bustle of the West Wing, but First Ladies will concentrate on the East Wing "where many of history’s most impactful and world-changing decisions have been hidden from view, made by America’s charismatic, complex and dynamic First Ladies," according to Showtime.
After retweeting various news publications' coverage of her upcoming role, the How to Get Away With Murder actress wrote, "Proud to spotlight these brave, extraordinary women! #FirstLadies." There has yet to be an announcement on which actresses have been chosen for the other characters, but it's expected that an announcement will be made soon.
