Season 1

**Season 1** of *The First Lady* was announced on August 26, 2019 aired from April 17, 2022 to June 19, 2022.

## Cast

*See also: Recurring characters, Character appearances for Season 1*
### Starring

* Viola Davis as Michelle Obama (2 episodes)
	+ Jayme Lawson as Michelle Obama (young) (0 episodes)
* Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford (2 episodes)
	+ Kristine Froseth as Betty Ford (young) (0 episodes)
* Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt (2 episodes)
	+ Eliza Scanlen as Eleanor Roosevelt (young) (0 episodes)
* O. T. Fagbenle as Barack Obama (2 episodes)
	+ Julian De Niro as Barack Obama (young) (0 episodes)
* Dakota Fanning as Susan Ford (0 episodes)
* Lily Rabe as Lorena Hickok (0 episodes)
* Regina Taylor as Marian Shields Robinson (0 episodes)
* with Kiefer Sutherland as Franklin D. Roosevelt (2 episodes)
	+ Charlie Plummer as Franklin D. Roosevelt (young) (0 episodes)
* and Aaron Eckhart as Gerald Ford (2 episodes)
	+ Jake Picking as Gerald Ford (young) (0 episodes)

### Recurring cast

* Jeremy Bobb as Theodore Roosevelt (0 episodes)
* Paul Wilson as Richard Nixon (0 episodes)
* Kathleen Garrett as Laura Bush (1 episode)
* Cayden Boyd as Michael Ford (0 episodes)
* Ellen Burstyn as Sara Roosevelt (1 episode)
* Aya Cash as Esther Liebowitz (0 episodes)
* Derek Cecil as Donald Rumsfeld (0 episodes)
* Donna Lynne Champlin as Melissa Winter (0 episodes)
* Rosalind Chao as Tina Tchen (0 episodes)
* Patrice Johnson Chevannes as Clara Powell (0 episodes)
* Ben Cook as Steven Ford (0 episodes)
* Maria Dizzia as Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd (0 episodes)
* Clea DuVall as Malvina Thompson (0 episodes)
* Judy Greer as Nancy Howe (0 episodes)
* Jackie Earle Haley as Louis Howe (1 episode)
* Marc Hills as Jack Ford (0 episodes)
* Leslie Kritzer as Martha Graham (0 episodes)
* Kate Mulgrew as Susan Sher (0 episodes)
* Evan Parke as Allen Taylor (0 episodes)
* Michael Potts as Fraser C. Robinson III (0 episodes)
* Gloria Reuben as Valerie Jarrett (0 episodes)
* Saniyya Sidney as Sasha Obama (0 episodes)
* Cailee Spaeny as Anna Roosevelt Halsted (0 episodes)
* Thomas E. Sullivan as Bill Warren (0 episodes)
* Lexi Underwood as Malia Obama (0 episodes)
* Rhys Wakefield as Dick Cheney (0 episodes)

## Crew

* Creator
	+ Aaron Cooley
* Directors
	+ Susanne Bier
* Executive Producers
	+ Aaron Cooley
	+ Viola Davis
	+ Jeff Gaspin
	+ Cathy Schulman
* Showrunner
	+ Cathy Schulman

## Advertising and Marketing

* Posters
* Promotional Photos
* Promotional Videos

The First Lady (2022) Official Trailer - SHOWTIME‘How Do You Really Feel About Being First Lady?’ Official Teaser - The First Lady - SHOWTIMEWhat to Watch This Month on SHOWTIME - April 2022Showtime video featuring some clips from *The First Lady* Season 1.Michelle Pfeiffer is Betty Ford - The First Lady - Streaming April 17Viola Davis is Michelle Obama - The First Lady - Streaming April 17Gillian Anderson is Eleanor Roosevelt - The First Lady - Streaming April 17'Forget Politics' Official Teaser - The First Lady - SHOWTIMEThe women you know, the stories you don’t. Series Premiere April 17. -TheFirstLady -shorts -showtimeNext on Episode 2 - The First Lady - SHOWTIMESneak Peek of Season 1 - The First Lady - SHOWTIME'Unchained' Ep. 1 Official Clip - The First Lady - SHOWTIMETo us, he was a President. To Michelle, he was her husband. -TheFirstLady -shortsA dancer never stops dancing, even when she’s about to become -TheFirstLady. -shorts -BettyFordNext on Episode 3 - The First Lady - SHOWTIME'I'll Pick My Team' Ep. 2 Official Clip - The First Lady - SHOWTIMECritics Are Raving About The First Lady - New Episodes Now Streaming - SHOWTIMENext on Episode 4 - The First Lady - SHOWTIMEWatch The First Lady on -SHOWTIME -shortsBTS- Viola Davis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dakota Fanning on the Importance of The First Lady - SHOWTIMEThe First Lady - Series Premiere - Free Full Episode (TVMA)The First Lady - Season 1 Ep. 2 - Free Full Episode (TVMA)'Life is About Relationships' Ep. 3 Official Clip - The First Lady - SHOWTIMEThe end goal was always love for Michelle and Barack. -shorts -TheFirstLady -showtimeNext on Episode 5 - The First Lady - SHOWTIME'Mom. What's Happening?' Ep. 4 Official Clip - The First Lady - SHOWTIMEMichelle didn’t need to be -TheFirstLady to stand up to power. -shorts -showtimeLadies and gents, we present Betty and Pickles. -TheFirstLady -MichellePfeiffer -ShowtimeNext on Episode 6 - The First Lady - SHOWTIMEEleanor Roosevelt was never meant to stay in the background. -TheFirstLady -shorts'Don't Let Fear Get In The Way' Ep. 5 Official Clip - The First Lady - SHOWTIMEStill To Come This Season on The First Lady - SHOWTIMENext on Episode 7 - The First Lady - SHOWTIME'People Will Listen to You, Dad' Ep. 6 Official Clip - The First Lady - SHOWTIMENext on Episode 8 - The First Lady - SHOWTIME'She's Not Feeling Well' Ep. 7 Official Clip - The First Lady - SHOWTIMENext on Episode 9 - The First Lady - SHOWTIME'Denying the Reality of the World Around Us' Ep. 8 Official Clip - The First Lady - SHOWTIMEBTS- Costume Designer Breaks Down Iconic Looks on Screen - The First Lady - SHOWTIMEMichelle’s speeches left us speechless. -TheFirstLadyNext on Season Finale - The First Lady - SHOWTIMEBTS- Transforming the White House Set Over the Centuries - The First Lady - SHOWTIMEEleanor was irreplaceable, indeed. -TheFirstLady -shorts'The Intervention' Ep. 9 Official Clip - The First Lady - SHOWTIME'Hit It Again' Ep. 10 Official Clip - The First Lady - SHOWTIME
## Behind the Scenes

### Music

Main article: Songs featured on The First Lady

### Production

On August 26, 2019, *The First Lady* was announced as *First Ladies*. Also announced on that day was news that Viola Davis was to portray Michelle Obama. On February 5, 2020, *The First Lady* received a series order at Showtime. Almost a year later, on January 21, 2021, it was announced that the series was now known as *The First Lady* and that Michelle Pfeiffer would portray Betty Ford in Season 1, with Susanne Bier announced as a director for the series.

On January 26, 2021, it was announced that Kristine Froseth would portray a younger Betty Ford and that Jayme Lawson would portray a younger Michelle Obama. The next day, on January 27, 2021, it was announced that Pamela Adlon had joined the cast as Nancy Howe, with Rhys Wakefield also joining the cast as Dick Cheney.

On February 16, 2021, it was announced that Aaron Eckhart had joined the cast as Gerald Ford. On February 19, 2021, it was revealed that Pamela Adlon had dropped out of the role of Nancy Howe due to scheduling conflicts. On the same day, it was announced that Judy Greer had been cast to take over the role. On February 22, 2021, it was announced that Gillian Anderson had joined the cast as Eleanor Roosevelt.

On February 25, 2021, it was announced that filming had begun in Covington, Georgia, United States of America. It was also announced on the same day that O. T. Fagbenle had joined the cast as Barack Obama. On March 2, 2021, it was announced that Dakota Fanning had joined the cast as Susan Ford. A week later, on March 9, 2021, it was announced that Lexi Underwood had joined the cast as Malia Obama.

On March 10, 2021, nine more joined the cast, including Cayden Boyd as Michael Ford, Aya Cash as Esther Liebowitz, Derek Cecil as Donald Rumsfeld, Patrice Johnson Chevannes as Clara Powell, Ben Cook as Steven Ford, Marc Hills as Jack Ford, Leslie Kritzer as Martha Graham, Jake Picking as a younger Gerald Ford, and Thomas E. Sullivan as Bill Warren.

On April 13, 2021, four more joined the cast, including Regina Taylor as Marian Shields Robinson, Saniyya Sidney as Sasha Obama, Julian De Niro as a younger Barack Obama and Evan Parke  as Allen Taylor. On June 4, 2021, it was announced that Gloria Reuben had joined the cast as Valerie Jarrett. On June 8, 2021, it was announced that Kate Mulgrew had joined the cast as Susan Sher and that Cathy Schulman had been named as showrunner of the series.

On June 14, 2021, it was announced that three more joined the cast, including Rosalind Chao as Tina Tchen, Michael Potts as Fraser C. Robinson III and Donna Lynne Champlin as Melissa Winter. On July 8, 2021, it was announced that Kiefer Sutherland had joined the cast as Franklin D. Roosevelt. On July 23, 2021, it was announced that three more joined the cast, including Ellen Burstyn as Sara Roosevelt, Cailee Spaeny as Anna Roosevelt Halsted and Eliza Scanlen as a younger Eleanor Roosevelt.

On July 27, 2021, it was announced that Lily Rabe had joined the cast as Lorena Hickok. On July 30, 2021, it was announced that two more had joined the cast, including Charlie Plummer as a younger Franklin D. Roosevelt and Clea DuVall as Malvina Thompson. On August 9, 2021, it was announced that three more had joined the cast, including Jeremy Bobb as Theodore Roosevelt, Maria Dizzia as Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd and Jackie Earle Haley as Louis Howe.

On August 24, 2021, it was announced that the series would premiere in 2022. On November 8, 2021, a first look at Season 1 and the series was revealed by Entertainment Weekly, where it was also revealed that Kathleen Garrett had joined the cast as Laura Bush. On February 17, 2022, it was announced that Season 1 and the series would premiere on April 17, 2022. On the same day, the first trailer for the series was released. On March 1, 2022, a short teaser was released.

## Links and references

### External links

* *The First Lady* Season 1 - official site
* *The First Lady* at Wikipedia
* *The First Lady* at the Internet Movie Database

102. "Voices Carry"
103. "Please Allow Me"
104. "Cracked Pot"
105. "See Saw"
107. "Nadir"
108. "Punch Perfect"
109. "Rift"