Despite only premiering on Showtime on April 17th, Viola Davis has already received intense criticism from the public regarding her portrayal of Michelle Obama in "The First Lady." Firing back at the backlash, Davis addressed the controversy in a BBC interview, where she expressed her displeasure toward critics and criticism in general by saying, "Critics absolutely serve no purpose. And I'm not saying that to be nasty either."

Most of the criticism towards Davis' work in "The First Lady" seems to focus on the actress pursing of her lips while imitating Obama's expressions, with online critics calling the acting choice "unnecessary and borderline insulting." However, trying to portray a First Lady whom we all have recent memory of is tough. While Davis is a celebrated actor, not only is Obama a beloved figure, but she's also the most contemporary first lady depicted in the series.

In the BBC interview, Davis admits that it was "incredibly hurtful when people say negative things about your work." However, she felt that she took chances with her acting, and that it was important for her to do so "as a leader."

Regarding her view on online critics, Davis revealed, "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 ultimately I feel like it is my job as a leader to make bold choices. Win or fail it is my duty to do that."

While Davis' hurt feelings are understandable - no matter how talented and successful you are, it always hurts when you take a misstep - her swing at online criticism feels a little misguided. When performing public works, it's unavoidable for artists to open themselves up to public scrutiny. While criticism should remain respectful, public opinion could also be a motivator for self-analysis and could just be a reflection of something that went wrong with a production.

Thankfully, Davis also seems open to acknowledging this, saying, "How do you move on from the hurt, from failure? But you have to. Not everything is going to be an awards-worthy performance."

We wish Davis the best on her next creative endeavor! We're sure the triple award winner has many more exciting roles to bring to big and small screens yet.

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Tags: Viola Davis showtime The First Lady