Viola Davis is opening up about how she felt after reading some harsh criticism, in reference to her portrayal of Michelle Obama in the television series ‘The First Lady.’

During her recent interview with BBC News, the legendary actress said that she felt “incredibly hurtful” after seeing media outlets and online users posting “negative things about” her work, however she understands it is an “occupational hazard” of her acting career.

“How do you move on from the hurt, from failure?” Viola said, “But you have to. Not everything is going to be an awards-worthy performance.”

One person tweeted, “They set Viola Davis up by allowing her keep her mouth that way throughout the filming. It’s so cringey and distracting,” while someone else wrote that the portrayal was “exaggerated” and “borderline insulting.”

The star previously said that “critics absolutely serve no purpose,” as people “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.”

©Showtime

Viola went on to say that it was “almost impossible” to play a public figure so current, adding that when doing it “you’re doing too much or not enough.” And while Michelle Obama has yet to voice her opinion about the series, Viola says she has no “personal contact” with the former first lady so she still doesn’t know what she thinks about her portrayal.