Viola Davis Responds to The First Lady Critics: “They Serve Absolutely No Purpose”

Viola Davis is speaking out about online critics of her performance as Michelle Obama in Showtime's The First Lady.

The star said that negative feedback on her work can be "incredibly hurtful" and that her job as an actor is to "make bold choices."

Davis opened up in an interview with BBC News and reiterated that she "doesn't have any personal contact" with Obama, so she has no idea how the former first lady feels about her performance.

The former How to Get Away with Murder star said that it is “incredibly hurtful when people say negative things about your work.”

“How do you move on from the hurt, from failure?” she wondered.

“But you have to. Not everything is going to be an awards-worthy performance.”

The star said that "critics absolutely serve no purpose," adding that she wasn't "saying that to be nasty."

"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,” Davis added.

“Win or fail it is my duty to do that.”

Davis also said that it's "almost impossible" to play such a public figure like Michelle Obama.

“People know how they walk, how they talk, and how they hold their pearls, so it’s very difficult,” she shared.

“Either you’re doing too much or not enough.”

The series launched on April 17 on Showtime, and the cast also includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Gillian Anderson, O. T. Fagbenle, Dakota Fanning, Lily Rabe, Regina Taylor, Kiefer Sutherland, and Aaron Eckhart.

The series airs Sundays on Showtime.

Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.