The Oscar-winning actress is heavily mocked for constantly scrunching her lips on camera while portraying the former First Lady on the 10-episode Showtime drama.
- Apr 18, 2022
AceShowbiz - Viola Davis' role as Michelle Obama on "The First Lady" has received heavy negative criticism. Shortly after the Showtime series was released, the Oscar-winning actress was mocked for constantly pursing her lips on camera.
"The First Lady" premiered on Sunday, April 17. While some praised the 56-year-old talented actress' performance on the series, many questioned why "The Help" star constantly scrunched her lips and took it "too far."
"The worst part of the Viola Davis thing is them duck lips was never a defining characteristic of Michelle Obama. She coulda been regular," one critic tweeted. Another chimed in, "If I was michelle obama, viola davis just gone have to get sued cuz why she keep doing her lips like that i would be made as hell if i was her."
A third quipped, "Viola Davis just smells her upper lip the whole movie." A separate critic opined, "Why viola davis doing her lips like that. I don't like it one bit." Someone else added, "Viola Davis' lips have to be numb after playing Michelle Obama."
Meanwhile, some others defended Viola, noting that people should appreciate more of her acting. "Viola Davis was able to hold her own on screen with Meryl Streep. If you have a problem with Davis' acting, then you have the problem," one fan argued. Another loyal supporter insisted, "Though Viola may have some creative/artistic input & probably not much, she does what the DIRECTOR tells her to do! He is navigating her through the medium of HIS lens in this portrayal of MO."
"Wait what? But she's such a great actress..you sure it's not just the people?" another wondered. A separate fan said, "So it's safe to say that viola is doing an amazing job at her portrayal of First Lady Obama."
Aside from Viola, Kiefer Sutherland stars on the 10-episode drama as Franklin D. Roosevelt while Aaron Eckhart plays Gerald Ford. Guest stars also include Dakota Fanning, Judy Greer, Ellen Burstyn and Kate Mulgrew as they fill the shoes of some of U.S. history's major players.
"The First Lady" is described as "a revelatory reframing of American leadership, told through the lens of the women at the heart of the White House." Showtime also adds, "The series will peel back the curtain on the personal and political lives of three unique, enigmatic women and their families, tracing their journeys to Washington, dipping into their pasts and following them beyond the White House into their greatest moments."
