The Obamas’ Next Netflix Project: A Documentary Starring Michelle

TOPLINE

For the first time since launching a production company, Michelle Obama is taking center stage: Becoming, a documentary that will be released on Netflix on May 6, follows the former first lady as she toured the country promoting her blockbuster book.

KEY FACTS

Big number 

$36 million. That is how much Michelle Obama made from her memoir after selling 10 million copies in 2019. She was the third-highest-paid author last year, behind J.K. Rowling and James Patterson.

Tangent

Michelle Obama has said she has no interest in seeking office herself, and has kept her civic involvement non-partisan. Still, Joe Biden says he would pick her as a running mate “in a heartbeat.”

Crucial quote 

“Even as we can no longer safely gather or feed off the energy of groups, even as many of us are living with grief, loneliness, and fear, we need to stay open and able to put ourselves in other people’s shoes,” she said in a statement. “Empathy is our lifeline here. It’s what will get us to the other side.

Further reading

With Broadway Shuttered, Stars Celebrate Steven Sondheim’s 90th Birthday With Virtual Concert (Forbes)

What To Watch This Week: ‘Normal People,’ ‘A Parks & Recreation Special’ And ‘What We Do In The Shadows’ (Forbes)

Biden Calls For ‘Apollo-Like Moonshot’ Push To Develop Covid Vaccine (Forbes)

New York Cancels Primary In Blow To Bernie Sanders (Forbes)