The internet had plenty to say about it back in 2022. Now, Michelle Obama is weighing in — and keeping it classy.
During a recent appearance on the "Baby, This is Keke Palmer" podcast, the former first lady opened up about how she would prep for media interviews — explaining that she and her team would rehearse the real answer she wanted to give before settling on a more polished one. Obama joked the unfiltered version would have "shut down the presidency."
When Palmer told Obama that her process reminded her of a scene from Showtime's The First Lady, starring Viola Davis, Obama was candid.
"Oh yeah, I didn't watch that," she said with a laugh. "That's the one thing I can't do."
After Palmer laughed at the response, the two shared their appreciation for the Oscar, Tony, and Emmy-winning actress. Obama said she loves Davis and would actually welcome a sit-down — floating her own "IMO" podcast as the place to do it.
"We can talk about that scene," Obama added. "Then I'll watch it."
The scene they were likely referencing became one of the most talked-about moments of the entire series. In it, Davis — as Michelle Obama — faces off with co-star O-T Fagbenle, who played Barack Obama, delivering a raw, intense warning about the dangers of running for president as a Black man, at one point dropping the N-word. But it wasn't just the words that got people talking. Davis leaned hard into physical choices — exaggerated expressions, wide eyes, pursed lips — in what she described as an attempt to capture Michelle's passion and urgency in that moment.
For many viewers, it didn't land. Social media lit up with criticism that the portrayal veered into caricature, with many feeling the choices didn't honor the woman they know and love.
Davis responded to the backlash in a 2022 BBC interview, saying it can be "incredibly hurtful" to receive negative feedback on her work, but standing firm: "It is my job as a leader to make bold choices. Win or fail, it is my duty to do that."
She also said at the time that she had no personal contact with Michelle Obama and had no idea how the former first lady felt about the portrayal.
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