Viola Davis slams the negative critical reception to her Michelle Obama performance in The First Lady. Known for her work in films like Fences, The Help, Widows, and for the role of Amanda Waller in The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, Davis' most recent project is a Showtime series chronicling the lives of several notable First Ladies behind the closed doors of the White House. The First Lady takes place across several time periods, following the Presidential administrations of the Obamas, the Roosevelts, and the Fords.
The First Lady, which is created by Aaron Cooley, will run for ten episodes, the first two of which have already aired on Showtime. The show has received mostly negative reactions from critics and fans alike, currently sitting at 43% on Rotten Tomatoes and garnering a similar audience score of 46%. Many critics and fans slammed Davis' performance, citing distracting and over-the-top facial expressions as one of the main issues. In addition to Davis, The First Lady stars Gillian Anderson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dakota Fanning, O-T Fagbenle, Aaron Eckhart, and Kiefer Sutherland, among others.
In a new interview with BBC News, Davis shoots back at critics who take issue with her performance. The 56-year-old actor says "critics absolutely serve no purpose," before explaining that the job of a critic frequently allows them to be "cruel." Ultimately, however, Davis says that it's her job as an actor and a leader to "make bold choices." Check out Davis' full comment below:
"Critics absolutely serve no purpose. And I'm not saying that to be nasty either. They always feel like they're telling you something that you don't know. Somehow that you're living a life that you're surrounded by people who lie to you and 'I'm going to be the person that leans in and tells you the truth'. So it gives them an opportunity to be cruel to you. But ultimately I feel like it is my job as a leader to make bold choices. Win or fail it is my duty to do that."
Many critics have, for obvious reasons, taken issue with Davis' statement, with many pointing out that Davis has received almost universal critical acclaim for most of her career. Davis has been nominated for numerous Oscars, winning Best Supporting Actress for her role in Denzel Washington's Fences, and The First Lady marks the first real occasion the actor has been the subject of such a strong negative critical reception. In addition to further backlash from critics, Davis has also become the subject of many memes across social media, with many viewers poking fun at the actor's facial expressions in her role as Michelle Obama.
While The First Lady is evidently not landing with most critics or audiences, Davis is, as she explains, clearly continuing to make "bold choices," which is commendable. Even though Davis is clearly a talented actor, as evidenced by her numerous award wins, it's next to impossible to have a career free from the odd blunder. Although having critics slam your work is undoubtedly an unpleasant experience, Davis' comments may not have been the best response and may have, if anything, exacerbated the general backlash to the performance and The First Lady in general.
Source: BBC News
