American history is getting a feminist makeover thanks to Showtime.
Showtime’s upcoming anthology series The First Lady is seeking to re-tell American history through the eyes of women who lived and worked in the White House, with the first season focusing on first ladies Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford, and Michelle Obama.
The long-planned series is currently finalizing its large cast of characters, with X-Files star Gillian Anderson set to play Eleanor Roosevelt, and Michelle Pfeiffer to play Betty Ford. First announced in 2019, Oscar-winner Viola Davis is still on board to play Michelle Obama and is also serving as executive producer.
“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,” Showtime said. “This series will peel back the curtain on the personal and political lives of these enigmatic women.”
Seventeen-year-old actress Lexi Underwood will play first daughter Malia Obama, while British actor O. T. Fagbenle will play Barack Obama. Deadline reported Tuesday that Malia Obama will be a recurring character “whose open mind and intelligence pushes her parents to make socially conscious decisions.”
Deadline described the series as a “revelatory reframing of American leadership, told through the lens of the women at the heart of the White House.”
Showtime hasn’t announced an air date for the hour-long series. Aaron Cooley is the series writer while Susanne Bier will direct.
Aaron Eckhart will play President Gerald Ford and Dakota Fanning will play first daughter Susan Elizabeth Ford. Actor Derek Cecil will play Donald Rumsfeld, who served as secretary of defense in the Ford administration.
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