Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Everything We Know about 'The First Lady'

Everything We Know about 'The First Lady'

Showtime's upcoming series The First Lady features a star-studded cast you won't want to miss.

Viola Davis, twice awarded for her role in Fences, Gillian Anderson, who played Margaret Thatcher in The Crown, and Academy Award winner Michelle Pfeiffer, will star in The First Lady, the new anthological series by Susanne Bier. The show comes after the widespread popularity for other historical fiction TV series like the Netflix show centered on the British royal family.

At a time when, more than ever, the representation of women in politics is still sorely lacking on the small screen, The First Lady wants to bring these women who have worked in the shadow of some of the greatest Presidents of the United States to the forefront. Far from confining themselves to their roles as First Lady, the women portrayed in the series are activists and game-changers whose contributions have often been overlooked. For its first season, the series produced by Showtime will tell, over three temporalities, the story from the point of view of First Ladies Michelle Obama, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Betty Ford during their time in the White House.

Though the release date of The First Lady has not yet been announced, details about the cast have slowly been coming to light. While you wait to see it on your small screen, L'OFFICIEL gives you everything we know about the highly-anticipated new series.

Viola Davis as Michelle Obama




© Rachel Murray - Paras Griffin

After Emmy Award-winning performance in How to Get Away with Murder, Davis does not intend to stop there. From lawyer to First Lady, it's only a short step for the Oscar-winning actress who will play the role of the first Black First Lady in the United States, Michelle Obama.

Often compared to Jackie Kennedy for her charisma and elegance, Michelle embodies the American dream with her husband Barack. Never in the background, the former First Lady has managed to rise among the most inspiring people in the world. There is no doubt that the talented Davis will brilliantly portray the role of the 44th First Lady. Beyond the screen, she will also sit alongside Bier as one of the show's executive producers.

Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt




© Stephane Cardinale - Bettmann

Following her Golden Globe win for her role in The Crown, Anderson will soon lend her features to play Eleanor Roosevelt, the First Lady who paved the way for those who succeeded her, redefining this title to a rewarding and active position.

Known for her outspokenness, Roosevelt was a staunch activist who devoted her time to civil rights during a time of patriarchy and racism, writing and telling truths that still resonate like an anthem today. In the backdrop of WWII, the former First Lady aided her husband as he navigated her personal illness as well as a nation at war.

Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford




© Daniele Venturelli - Bettmann

Pfeiffer will also pay tribute to an iconic First Lady, Betty Ford. The woman of character was particularly active on social issues, specifically drug addiction. She even testified to her own struggles with addiction to drugs and alcohol, as well as breast cancer.

OT Fagbenle as Barack Obama




© Amy Sussman - Drew Angerer

Alongside Davis, OT Fagbenle has been chosen to play the role of the 44th President of the United States. Unsurprisingly, the beloved husband will have a place in the show which traces the lives of these women from their youth to their time in the White House.

Lexi Underwood as Malia Obama




© Frazer Harrison - Olivier Douliery-Pool

The oldest daughter of the Obama family will be played by Lexi Underwood, who most recently starred in the drama series Little Fires Everywhere. The young TV star now joins this exceptional group as they reimagine the Obama administration for the small screen.

Aaron Eckhart as Gerald Ford




© Tommaso Boddi - Wally McNamee

Eckhart will lend his features to President Gerald Ford. After playing a fictional president in White House Down, the actor joins the cast of The First Lady as the only president never actually elected. After major turnover in the role of President Nixon's Vice-president, Ford took on the role, which later led him to the Oval Office after his predecessor's resignation. As Betty goes through a difficult period of dependence on alcohol and drugs, her husband's professional life will suddenly change everything, giving her the opportunity to finally engage in fights that differ from those of her husband and become the icon we know.

Dakota Fanning as Susan Elizabeth Ford




© Amy Sussman - Denver Post

According to Deadline, Dakota Fanning has joined the show as Susan Ford, the youngest child of Betty and Gerald. The teenager introduced many progressive ideas for the time. She was already very involved in politics growing up and was often seen alongside her parents at events.

Among the other actors already cast in the show are Jayme Lawson (The Batman) who will play young Michelle, Kristine Froseth as teenage Betty, and Judy Greer in the role of Nancy Howe, Betty's secretary. Additionally, Aya Cash (The Boys), Jake Picking (Hollywood), Cayden Boyd (The Resident), Marc Hills (Snatchers), Ben Cook (Paterno), Leslie Rodriguez Krtizer (Bridge and Tunnel), Thomas E. Sullivan (Roswell), and Patrice Johnson Chevannes will also star in the series.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×