THE FIRST LADY: Aaron Eckhart cast as President Gerald Ford in Showtime’s 2021 TV Series

Aaron Eckhart cast in The First Lady

Aaron Eckhart has signed on to play President Gerald Ford in the upcoming Showtime anthology series The First Lady.

Formerly known as First Ladies, the show is described as a rethinking of the American presidency, told through the lens of the women at the heart of the White House. Eckhart joins previously announced series stars Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) and Michelle Pfeiffer (The French Exit), who will play Michelle Obama and Betty Ford respectively. It’s been  reported that Jayme Lawson (Farewell Amor) and Kristine Froseth (Looking for Alaska) will play a young Obama and a young Ford, while Pamela Adlon (Better Things)  and Rhys Wakefield (True Detective) will also appear in the show. The first season of the series will also explore the life of Eleanor Roosevelt, with that role yet to be cast.

Gerald Ford Jr., star linebacker at the University of Michigan,  married Betty Bloomer Ford in 1948 and served as a member of the House of Representatives for 25 years, holding Michigan’s 5th congressional district seat from 1949 to 1973. He later became the only person to serve as both Vice President and President of the Unites States without being elected to either office by the Electoral College, the latter following President Richard Nixon’s resignation in 1974 over the Watergate scandal.

Eckhart is primarily known for his film roles, having starred in features like The Core, The Dark Knight as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, Bleed for This, tobacco spokesman Nick Naylor in Thank You for Smoking, and the boyfriend of titular character Erin Brockovich. The First Lady will mark the first regular live-action television role of his career, though he is lending his voice to the upcoming AMC animated drama Pantheon.

The First Lady is written and executive produced by Aaron Cooley (Blood Creek). Davis is also executive producing along with Julius Tennon (Get on Up) and Andrew Wang of JuVee Productions. Cathy Schulman (The Illusionist) of Welle Entertainment executive produces along with Jeff Gaspin (L.A.’s Finest) via Gaspin Media, and Brad Kaplan (Look Away) of LINK Entertainment. Susanne Bier  (Bird Box) is attached to direct and executive produce. Showtime and Lionsgate Television will produce.

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