Viola Davis isn’t putting much stock into the opinions of people criticizing her performance as Michelle Obama in the Showtime limited series “The First Lady.”
In a recent interview with BBC News, the actress noted that she’s fully aware that not every review of her work is going to be favorable — that just comes with the territory. She also pointed out: “Not everything is going to be an awards-worthy performance.”
Criticisms of Davis’ latest work in “The First Lady” have been mostly targeted toward her physical portrayal of the former first lady — specifically, her lips. Viewers online argued that Davis pursed them too much, to the point of being distracting.
Then, Davis got a bit blunt on her feelings about critics in general.
“Critics absolutely serve no purpose. And I’m not saying that to be nasty either,” she said. “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.”
But even when those things are said, Davis stands by her acting choices.
“But ultimately I feel like it is my job as a leader to make bold choices,” she continued. “Win or fail it is my duty to do that.”