Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis is being mocked on social media for her performance in new Showtime series The First Lady.
Fans of former First Lady Michelle Obama are calling out Davis for using “the constant duck head” and giving an “insulting” portrayal of the barrier-breaking political wife.
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Twitter users posted short video clips that show Davis in character with pursed lips as she speaks.
Many commented on the eye-catching facial expression.
Celebrity news website TMZ noted that the pursed lips appeared to resemble the so-called “duck face” frequently used in selfies.
In the video footage and photos, which represent just seconds of the actual performance, Davis can be seen pursing her lips with her mouth open and closed.
One user wrote that she wouldn’t watch the series because of the performance.
“Your exaggerated purse of the lips may parody the show,” @DrJokeAnderson wrote.
“I strongly recommend that the following episodes be reviewed urgently and that you rely on your natural intuitive tendencies.”
Some said they found the performance offensive.
“If I was Michelle Obama, I would be offended by Viola Davis“said one user.
“At the very least, I would think his lips were unnecessary and the border insulting.”
Others took a more humorous approach to calling out the star.
“I know her the lips were stressed every day“, tweeted a woman.
According to Showtime, the new show offers “a revealing reframing of American leadership through the lens of the First Ladies.”
In addition to Obama, the 10-episode series also features first ladies Betty Ford, wife of President Gerald Ford, and Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Ford is played by actress Michelle Pfeiffer while Gillian Anderson portrays Roosevelt.
The series, which premiered on Sunday, has so far received mixed reviews from critics.
The US Sun has contacted Showtime for comment.
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