Celebs

Showtime Cancels ‘First Lady’ Series After One Season Following Backlash Of Viola Davis’ Portrayal Of Michelle Obama

<p><strong>Viola Davis’<&sol;strong> latest series is officially over&period; Following the intense and harsh criticism from fans and critics&comma; Showtime has decided to cancel its series &OpenCurlyQuote;The First Lady’ after only one season&period; Starring <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;dev&period;theshaderoom&period;com&sol;viola-davis-says-critics-serve-no-purpose-in-response-to-backlash-for-her-michelle-obama-portrayal&sol;">Viola Davis<&sol;a> as Michelle Obama&comma; along with Michelle Pfeiffer and Gillian Anderson&comma; the series provided an in-depth look at past First Ladies of the United States&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Three months after it initially premiered&comma; Showtime <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;deadline&period;com&sol;2022&sol;08&sol;the-first-lady-canceled-no-season-2-showtime-anthology-series-viola-davis-1235082656&sol;">just confirmed<&sol;a> that there will not be a second season of the one-hour drama anthology series &OpenCurlyQuote;The First Lady&period;’ Season one of the series was set in the East Wing of the White House and told the stories of America’s First Ladies&comma; led by Viola Davis as Michelle Obama&comma; Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford&comma; and Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt&period; Viola Davis also served as an executive producer of the series&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote class&equals;"instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;instagram&period;com&sol;p&sol;Cgxgn7xuxd9&sol;&quest;utm&lowbar;source&equals;ig&lowbar;embed&&num;038&semi;utm&lowbar;campaign&equals;loading" data-instgrm-version&equals;"14" style&equals;" background&colon;&num;FFF&semi; max-width&colon;658px&semi; min-width&colon;326px&semi; padding&colon;0&semi; width&colon;99&period;375&percnt;&semi; width&colon;-webkit-calc&lpar;100&percnt; - 2px&rpar;&semi; width&colon;calc&lpar;100&percnt; - 2px&rpar;&semi;"><div>&NewLine; <iframe class&equals;"custom-ig-embed" data-src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;instagram&period;com&sol;p&sol;Cgxgn7xuxd9&sol;embed&sol;captioned" allowtransparency&equals;"true" allowfullscreen&equals;"true" frameborder&equals;"0" height&equals;"640px" scrolling&equals;"no" style&equals;"background&colon;&num;FFF&semi; border&colon;0&semi; border-radius&colon;3px&semi; box-shadow&colon;0 0 1px 0 rgba&lpar;0&comma;0&comma;0&comma;0&period;5&rpar;&comma;0 1px 10px 0 rgba&lpar;0&comma;0&comma;0&comma;0&period;15&rpar;&semi; margin&colon; 1px&semi; max-width&colon;540px&semi; min-width&colon;326px&semi; padding&colon;0&semi; width&colon;99&period;375&percnt;&semi; width&colon;-webkit-calc&lpar;100&percnt; - 2px&rpar;&semi; width&colon;calc&lpar;100&percnt; - 2px&rpar;&semi;"><&sol;iframe>&NewLine; <&sol;div><&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>Confirming the news of the cancellation&comma; Showtime released the following statement&colon;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote><p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Showtime can confirm that the anthology series &OpenCurlyQuote;The First Lady’ will not be moving forward with another season&period; We would like to applaud the artistry and commitment of our showrunner Cathy Schulman&comma; director Susanne Bier&comma; their fellow executive producers&comma; our amazing cast — led by executive producer Viola Davis&comma; Michelle Pfeiffer&comma; and Gillian Anderson — and our studio partner Lionsgate for their dedicated work in telling the unique stories of three remarkable leaders&period;”<&sol;p><&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>As we previously reported&comma; back in April Viola Davis publicly addressed the criticism she received due to her performance as Michelle Obama&comma; which many felt was overdone and out of place&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote><p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Critics absolutely serve no purpose&period; And I’m not saying that to be nasty either&period; They always feel like they’re telling you something that you don’t know&period; Somehow that you’re living a life that you’re surrounded by people who lie to you and &OpenCurlyQuote;I’m going to be the person that leans in and tells you the truth’&period; So&comma; it gives them an opportunity to be cruel to you&period;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>She continued&comma; adding &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;How do you move on from the hurt&comma; from failure&quest; But you have to&period; Not everything is going to be an awards-worthy performance&period;”<&sol;p><&sol;blockquote>&NewLine; <div class&equals;"wpra-reactions-wrap wpra-plugin-container" style&equals;"justify-content&colon; center&semi;&semi;"> <div class&equals;"wpra-reactions-container" data-ver&equals;"1&period;3&period;10" data-post&lowbar;id&equals;"95171" data-show&lowbar;count&equals;"true" data-enable&lowbar;share&equals;"onclick" data-behavior&equals;"regular" data-animation&equals;"true" data-share&lowbar;url&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;dev&period;theshaderoom&period;com&sol;showtime-cancels-first-lady-series-after-one-season-following-backlash-of-viola-davis-portrayal-of-michelle-obama&sol;" data-secure&equals;"b4292fe731"> <div class&equals;"wpra-call-to-action" style&equals;"color&colon; &num;000000&semi;font-size&colon; 25px&semi;font-weight&colon; 600&semi;">What Do You Think Roomies&quest;<&sol;div> <div class&equals;"wpra-reactions wpra-static-emojis size-medium" style&equals;"border-color&colon; 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Danielle Jennings

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