The First Lady

SHOWTIME has announced that Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild winner Gillian Anderson (The Crown) will star as Eleanor Roosevelt in THE FIRST LADY (w/t), rounding out the trio of 2021 Golden Globe nominees starring in the scripted anthology series. Anderson joins Oscar(R), Emmy and Tony winner Viola Davis (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom), who also executive produces, as former first lady Michelle Obama and Oscar and Emmy nominee and Golden Globe winner Michelle Pfeiffer (French Exit) as Betty Ford. Yet another Golden Globe nominee this year, Susanne Bier (The Undoing), will direct and executive produce. THE FIRST LADY (w/t) is a revelatory reframing of American leadership, told through the lens of the women at the heart of the White House. Produced by SHOWTIME and Lionsgate Television, the series is executive produced by Oscar winner Cathy Schulman (Crash), Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, Andrew Wang, Susanne Bier, Jeff Gaspin (Rhythm + Flow), Brad Kaplan (Mr. Church) and created by author Aaron Cooley (Four Seats: A Thriller of the Supreme Court), who will write several of the episodes and executive produce. The announcement was made by Amy Israel, Executive Vice President, Scripted Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.
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 three unique, enigmatic women, tracing their journeys to Washington through interweaving storylines with an enlightening intimacy, with season one focusing on Michelle Obama, Betty Ford and Eleanor Roosevelt. The series also stars Aaron Eckhart (Wander) as President Gerald Ford. Additional guest stars include Judy Greer as Betty Ford's trusted confidante and social secretary Nancy Howe, Jayme Lawson as young Michelle Obama, Kristine Forseth as young Betty Ford, and Rhys Wakefield as President Ford's Deputy Chief of Staff Dick Cheney.