Viola Davis take on criticism of her portrayal of Michelle Obama

Viola Davis is aware that her portrayal of Michelle Obama in Showtime’s “The First Lady” is not universally adored.

It is “very terrible when people say nasty things about your work,” she told a foreign news channel, “but it comes with the job.”

“How can you move on from the pain, from the failure?” she wondered. “But you must. Not every performance will be worthy of an award.”

Some on social media chastised Davis for her performance, pointing out her overdone facial gestures.

Davis told the news site “Critics serve no use at all. And I’m not saying it to be mean.”

She claims that those critics feel “surrounded by people who lie to you and ‘I’m going to be the person who leans in and tells you the truth,’ allowing them to be “cruel.”

“But, ultimately, I believe it is my responsibility as a leader to make bold decisions,” Davis added. “Whether I win or lose, it is my responsibility to do so.”

Michelle Pfeiffer plays Betty Ford, and Gillian Anderson plays Eleanor Roosevelt in “The First Lady.” It digs into the personal lives of former first women.