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CinemaCon 2022

Source: Greg Doherty / Getty

Viola Davis has a response to the naysayers about her performance as Michelle Obama in Showtime’s The First Lady. The award-winning actress shared her thoughts in a recent interview with BBC News. 

Davis recently portrayed former First Lady Michelle Obama in Showtime’s limited drama series The First Lady. The actress acknowledges the critics in an interview with BBC News. Davis says it is, “incredibly hurtful when people say negative things about your work”.

She goes on to say that criticism is an “occupational hazard” of acting.

“How do you move on from the hurt, from failure?” Davis asked. “But you have to. Not everything is going to be an awards-worthy performance.”

Davis may not have pleased fans with her most recent performance, but the A-list talent knows something about an awards-worthy performance. She became the first African American to win the triple crown of an Oscar, Emmy and Tony for acting.

Davis continued with her opinions on critics in a witty response, “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.”

In regards to the acting choices she made when portraying our forever First Lady, Davis said, “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.”

The star also also comments on how it was nearly impossible to play someone as familiar as Michelle Obama. She says, “Either you’re doing too much or not enough.”

When asked if she knew what Obama thought of her portrayal, Davis responds, “I don’t have any personal contact with Michelle Obama.”

Fans can look forward to Davis’ upcoming memoir, Finding Me. The book is described as honest and, at times, a jaw-dropping read, charting her rise from poverty and abuse to becoming a pioneer in tv and film.

Read more from her interview with BBC News here.