After announcing the development of the series in 2019, Showtime has ordered First Ladies to series. In the series, Viola Davis will star as best-selling author Michelle Obama. The new series will focus on the lives and legacies of former first ladies such as Michelle Obama, Betty Ford and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Behind the scenes, Davis will serve as an executive producer with JuVee Productions’ Julius Tennon. Joining them, Cathy Schulman, Jeff Gaspin, and Brad Kaplan will act as executive producers. Meanwhile, First Ladies creator Aaron Cooley will write and executive produce the series.
“Throughout our history, presidents’ spouses have wielded remarkable influence, not only on the nation’s leaders but on the country itself,” Showtime President of Entertainment Jana Winograde said.
“First Ladies fits perfectly within the Showtime wheelhouse of drama and politics, revealing how much personal relationships impact both domestic and global events. Having Viola Davis play Michelle Obama is a dream come true, and we couldn’t be luckier to have her extraordinary talent to help launch this series,” Winograde added.
There is no public timetable available in regards to when production will begin. Davis currently stars on ABC’s How To Get Away With Murder, which will end this May.
