See the Cast of ‘The First Lady’ vs. Their Real-Life Counterparts (PHOTOS)

The First Lady - Michelle Pfeiffer, Viola Davis, Gillian Anderson
Ramona Rosales/Showtime

Showtime is taking us through decades of East Wing drama in its new historical drama The First Lady, with idols of the screen playing icons of the political scene. Oscar winner Viola Davis plays Michelle Obama, Golden Globe winner Michelle Pfeiffer plays Betty Ford, and Emmy winner Gillian Anderson plays Eleanor Roosevelt.

In a synopsis for The First Lady, which debuts on Sunday, April 17, Showtime calls the series a “revelatory reframing of American leadership,” told from the perspective of some of the White House’s most famous residents.

“In the government’s East Wing, 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,” the premium cabler adds. “The series peels back the curtain on the personal and political lives of three unique, enigmatic women and their families, tracing their journeys to Washington, dipping into their pasts and following them past the White House into their greatest moments.”

And The First Lady proves that these women’s stories are not to be overshadowed by their presidential spouses. As Anderson’s Eleanor Roosevelt tells the 32nd commander-in-chief in one scene, “You are the husband of a wife who has a mind and a life of her own.”

Scroll down to see the stars of The First Lady alongside the real-life first ladies and U.S. presidents they portray.

The First Lady, Series Premiere, Sunday, April 17, 9/8c, Showtime

Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt in The First Lady
Daniel McFadden/Showtime

Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt
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Eleanor Roosevelt

Kiefer Sutherland in The First Lady as Franklin D. Roosevelt
Boris Martin/Showtime

Kiefer Sutherland as Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt
Keystone Features/Getty Images

Franklin D. Roosevelt

The First Lady Michelle Pfeiffer Betty Ford
Murray Close/Showtime

Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford

Betty Ford
Art Zelin/Getty Images

Betty Ford

Aaron Eckhart as Gerald Ford in The First Lady
Murray Close/Showtime

Aaron Eckhart as Gerald Ford

Gerald Ford
Ya'akov Sa'ar/GPO via Getty Images

Gerald Ford

The First Lady - Viola Davis as Michelle Obama
Jackson Lee Davis/Showtime

Viola Davis as Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama
Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images

Michelle Obama

O-T Fagbenle as Barack Obama in The First Lady
Jackson Lee Davis/Showtime

O-T Fagbenle as Barack Obama

Barack Obama
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Barack Obama