Viola Davis stars as the former first lady of America, Michelle Obama; Credits: EW

Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of America, is a towering figure of intelligence and grace by many counts. Surreal in her personality and disposition, playing the lady in a cinematic production is not a task for just any actress. 

Fortunately, Viola Davis understood the gravity required to play such a phenomenal person and approached the role with immense depth and clarity. Revealing what she thought of the character when she first got it, she shared that Michelle Obama was not a role she could play like any other character for a show. 

Interestingly, Viola Davis shared that she felt a kinship with the character and thought that she could relate to Mrs. Obama in many ways. On her first day of the shoot as the First Lady, Davis drove up to the White House. 

As she walked to the place and entered it, she realized the sheer magnitude of the opportunity she had received in getting to play Michelle Obama. The simple realization changed the way she was looking at the role. 

The Showtime actress said that she clearly felt overwhelmed by the size of her role as she talked with EW. Yet, she also shared that stepping into the White House helped her see the administration of Michelle and Barak from a closer perspective. 

Of course, playing the real-life character meant that it was not a portrayal like any other. The real person holds ultimate control and authority over the narration of the character, along with the ownership. 

She explained that Michelle Obama is a very famous public figure, people are familiar with her speech, her style, aura, and everything else is distinctive to her body language. It required extreme finesse to take over the legendary former First Lady's character. 

The actress was also joined in the EW interview by other actors from the show, including Michelle Pfieffer, Gillian Anderson, Dakota Fanning, and Kiefer Sutherland. There she shared that while her character demanded a lot from her, she felt at ease when playing Mrs. Obama along with O-T Fagbenle, the actor who plays Barack Obama in the series. 

Barack Obama and Michelle have always portrayed their romance as a delight that they share together. Their successful marriage and public careers are an inspiration to many and Viola Davis particularly enjoyed portraying a happy marriage. 

She revealed that it was fun to play a great couple when her acting career is littered with characters who gave to go through terrible marriages, relationships, and experiences. These "tortured souls" are never a great experience to live through, even if only encountered when acting. 

But Michelle Obama and Barack Obama, the two share a playful bond with each other, something was refreshing for Viola Davis to portray in the series. It is rare that the elite of America gets to see a great marriage, and showcasing that with the series was an even great experience. 

Not only are they a couple, but also friends, and have extreme respect for each other. Viola Davis included fun and dance and rhythm in the portrayal of her character along with playful irritation that shows the real depth of the shared bond of the former first family of America. 

Apart from Viola Davis, the show has a few more actresses transforming into some of the phenomenal women of America. Michelle Pfeiffer and Gillian Anderson will star as Betty Ford and Eleanor Roosevelt in the series, respectively. 

Others in the series will also transform to fit in with the real-life characters around the leading ladies of the show. O-T Fagbenle is amazing as Barack Obama and depicts beautiful, warm chemistry with Viola Davis to bring about the former first couple to your screen. 

Aaron Eckhart plays President Gerald Ford in Showtime. Pfeiffer and Eakhart show a relationship built on dignity and mutual support. Pfeiffer as Ford is strong and confident. 

However, Anderson as Roosevelt has a not so admirable relationship with her husband President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The President's character is played by Kiefer Sutherland. 

The show is focused on shedding light on the former first families of the United States of America, drawing around the lives of Obama, Ford, and Roosevelt. The trailer shows the hidden aspects of the lives of these famous public families.

The trailer of the series features Davis in all her glory as Michelle Obama. She poses as seen in the presidential portrait of the lady created by artist Amy Sherald for the real-life Mrs. Obama. Another scene shows President Obama asking his wife to have more of an active role in his term of presidency. 

O-T Fagbenle as Barack Obama and Viola Davis as Michelle Obama in 'The First Lady'.| CREDIT: JACKSON LEE DAVIS/SHOWTIME

There are similar incidents in the rule of President Ford and Roosevelt in their own time. Another character to look out for in the series is Lorena "Hick" Hickock, played by Lile Rave. Lorena was a close friend of Roosevelt with many historians claiming their relationship was more of a romantic partnership. 

The series will present its own take on the matter. Showtime premiered on April 17, Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.