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FIRST LADY ROLE: Viola Davis

VIOLA DAVIS is set to portray Michelle Obama in a US series under development about America's first ladies.

Davis is an executive producer on the project, which US network Showtime said will "peel back the curtain" on the lives of presidential spouses.

The first season will focus on Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford and Michelle Obama and will be set in the East Wing of the White House. All of the material is based on information in the public domain.

Showtime said it is committed to three scripts for the proposed series.

There is no air date since the series has yet to be ordered.

Davis is currently starring in How To Get Away With Murder which is entering its sixth and final season this autumn.

The Obama's production projects

Barack and Michelle Obama launched their own production company, Higher Ground, in 2018, and have announced deals with Netflix and Spotify.

The Obamas revealed their multi-year agreement to produce films and series for Netflix last year.

“One of the simple joys of our time in public service was getting to meet so many fascinating people from all walks of life, and to help them share their experiences with a wider audience.

“That’s why Michelle and I are so excited to partner with Netflix ― we hope to cultivate and curate the talented, inspiring, creative voices who are able to promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples, and help them share their stories with the entire world,” the former US president said in a statement released at the time.

The first set of projects include a range of scripted, unscripted and documentary content, which will be exclusively created for and available on the video streaming platform.

“We love this slate because it spans so many different interests and experiences, yet it’s all woven together with stories that are relevant to our daily lives,” the former US first lady said.