The First Lady Casts Michelle Pfeiffer As Betty Ford

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Showtime’s The First Lady series casts Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford. Helmed by Susanne Bier, the White House-centered anthology series will focus on the country’s most high-profile spouses' personal and political lives, with season 1 following Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford, and Michelle Obama. In 2019, Showtime announced that Viola Davis had been tapped to play former First Lady Michelle Obama. Now it appears Pfieffer is also joining the highly-anticipated series in an iconic role.

Per Variety, The First Lady cast Pfeiffer as Betty Ford, who was in the White House from 1974 to 1977 when Gerald Ford served as the 38th president. During her tenure as First Lady, Betty Ford made a profound impact with her comments on hot-button issues and was known for being transparent about her struggles with alcoholism and substance abuse. Penned by Aaron Cooley, The First Lady has yet to announce who will join Pfeiffer and Davis in the series as Eleanor Roosevelt, as well as presidential husbands Barack Obama, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Gerald Ford.

Showtime promises to shine a spotlight on the famous titular women with a logline for The First Lady revealing, “In the East Wing of the White House, many of history’s most impactful, and world-changing decisions have been hidden from view, made by America’s charismatic, complex and dynamic First Ladies.”


Of course, with the number of U.S. first ladies in history, there’s a slew of material to derive from for The First Lady. Not limited to selecting the White Houses’ china pattern, first ladies have tackled social issues, including drug abuse, women’s rights, literacy, and physical fitness. Indeed, Pfeiffer, who is known for her ability to bring authenticity and vulnerability to her roles, is the ideal choice to portray the groundbreaking story of Betty Ford’s term in The First Lady.