East Wing News: Media

[Meredith Quill]

Your Media Topic!

[Meredith Quill]

Anticipate Here!

[Notwisconsin]

FIRST LADIES

New Drama Series Starring Viola Davis Coming Soon to SHOWTIME

Showtime has given a series order to the first season of the hour-long drama First Ladies, starring and executive produced by Oscar, Emmy and Tony® winner Viola Davis, who will play former first lady Michelle Obama. Produced by Showtime and Lionsgate Television, the series will also be executive produced by Julius Tennon, Oscar winner Cathy Schulman (Crash, Five Feet Apart), Jeff Gaspin (Rhythm + Flow, L.A.’s Finest), Brad Kaplan (Mr. Church) and author Aaron Cooley (Four Seats: A Thriller of the Supreme Court), who created the series and will write.

In the East Wing of the White House, 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. This series will peel back the curtain on the personal and political lives of these enigmatic women, with season one focusing on Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford and Michelle Obama.

[Notwisconsin]

NONONONONO!!!!! They're doing the WRONG ones!!!!!  There are so many more interesting First Ladies in history than those! Dolley Madison was the Grande Dame of DC since the city's founding. Sarah Polk was extremely influential, and was a slave dealer after her husband died (although she sort of supported the Union) Edith Wilson acted as President after her husband's stroke, and she, like Frances Cleveland (who was a bit of a fascist), was an ardent anti-sufferagist.

Ida McKinley, before her debilitating nervous breakdown, was an ardent adventurer and progressive political activist. I could go on.

[hoodooznoodooz]

I can not wait. These actresses are some of my favorites. I never watched “The X-Files,” but Gillian Anderson was wonderful in “The Fall.” 

[BetterButter]

 

[marinw]

Have Gillian Anderson and Kiefer Sutherland ever worked together before? If not, I feel like a wrong has been righted.

Edited February 21, 2022 by marinw

[marinw]

On 7/11/2020 at 9:15 AM, Notwisconsin said:

There are so many more interesting First Ladies in history than those!

This is just the first season. I am already wondering about the casting for 90's era Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Edited February 22, 2022 by marinw

[Meredith Quill]

Show has been retitled: The First Lady.

[chocolatine]

Viola Davis is butthurt about the criticism of her performance.

[Crashcourse]

Viola needs to realize that even great actors can sometimes suck and be wrong for the role.   

Get over yourself, Viola.

[Maisiesmom]

Maybe Ms. Davis should have asked to meet Mrs. Obama and hang out with her for a bit. The pursing her lips thing is just SO distracting and I'm pretty sure Michelle didn't do that all the time. It bugs me so much that I fast forward through her scenes. I do think Michelle  (Betty Ford) is killing it-I really enjoy her scenes. Gillian Anderson is doing a good job with Mrs. Roosevelt even with the prothesis in her mouth. 

[andromeda331]

Sorry Viola. You're a great actress but it's not working. It's really odd though. She didn't observe Michelle in any of her interviews or ask to meet her to figure out how to play her? She has the most material to work with and she doesn't seem to have done anything with it. Why does she keep doing the mouth thing? What is that about? 

[Marley]

Viola Davis was a producer too wasn't she? Wouldn’t she have seen how she was portraying Michelle and at the very least stop with the ridiculous mouth movements.

[andromeda331]

3 hours ago, Marley said:

Viola Davis was a producer too wasn't she? Wouldn’t she have seen how she was portraying Michelle and at the very least stop with the ridiculous mouth movements.

If she did it certainly doesn't show.

[Marley]

Someone should’ve brought up how ridiculous it was though. It was so obvious lol.

[TVMovieBuff]

For me, Viola Davis can do no wrong. Michelle Pfieffer is terrific. The story I am really enjoying is Eleanor Roosevelt. Gillian Anderson is slaying it. Probably because she is the First Lady I was not around for. It's all new. 

I wonder, for a second season if there is going to be one, they could pick 3 more FLOTUSes and do them. Mrs Woodrow Wilson, Edith, should be one of the next. There is only one I don't want to see. 😁

[marinw]

3 hours ago, TVMovieBuff said:

There is only one I don't want to see. 😁

Name starts with M? 

[TVMovieBuff]

On 5/21/2022 at 4:08 PM, marinw said:

Name starts with M? 

Yes, and it's not Mamie Eisenhower!

[marinw]

Spolier?

Spoiler

Looked up the cast and there will be Kate Burtun as Hillary Clinton later on this season. Does this mean that thre Obama Arc will end with the 2016 Election? That is NOT something I want to relive, and I'm Canadian!

[CheshireCat]

1 hour ago, marinw said:

Spolier?

  Reveal spoiler

Looked up the cast and there will be Kate Burtun as Hillary Clinton later on this season. Does this mean that thre Obama Arc will end with the 2016 Election? That is NOT something I want to relive, and I'm Canadian!

Spoiler

Clinton was Secretary of State, so the actress may have been cast for that reason.

[Dejana]

I usually watch via Showtime On Demand and the tenth episode ("Victory Dance") is already available.

[AnnMarie17]

Aaaaaand, that's a wrap.

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/the-first-lady-canceled-showtime-season-2-1235331198/

[txhorns79]

Sad to hear it won't be getting a second season.  I guess the lack of Emmy nominations for its A-list stars and the kind of tepid response to the overall show led to this moment. 

[TakomaSnark]

This is a brutal take down from David Hume Kennerly, photographer and family friend of the Fords.

https://kennerly.com/blog/the-first-lady/

[Hanahope]

here's the better link:

The First Lady - David Hume Kennerly https://kennerly.com/blog/the-first-lady/

its a shame that facts were ignored.