00:00Viola Davis is moving to the White House. Showtime has handed out a series order to
00:04anthology First Ladies, with the actress set to play Michelle Obama in the first season.
00:10The news arrives as Davis will officially say farewell to ABC's Shondaland drama
00:13How to Get Away with Murder in the spring.
00:21First Ladies was initially put in development last August, marking a very quick turnaround
00:25process for the premium cable network. The anthology focuses on the personal and political
00:29lives of the country's First Ladies, with season one focused on Michelle Obama, played by Davis,
00:35as well as Eleanor Roosevelt and Betty Ford. Additional casting details have not yet been announced.
00:40Premiere date and episode count have also not yet been determined.
00:43Showtime Entertainment president Jana Winograde said,
00:46First Ladies fits perfectly within the Showtime wheelhouse of drama and politics,
00:50revealing how much personal relationships impact both domestic and global events.
00:55Having Viola Davis play Michelle Obama is a dream come true, and we couldn't be luckier
00:59to have her extraordinary talent to help launch this series.
01:02First Ladies arrives as Showtime finds itself in a year of change. In addition to saying its long
01:07farewell to signature drama Homeland, the premium cable network just canceled Ray Donovan this week
01:12after seven seasons. This year we'll also see Shameless, Showtime's highest-rated scripted original,
01:17sign off after an 11-season run. For much more on this story, head to THR.com.
01:22Until next time, for The Hollywood Reporter News, I'm Tiffany Taylor.
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