Netflix's Michelle Obama Documentary Will Take Peek At Her Post-White House Life

A new documentary is promising an in-depth look at Michelle Obama ’s post-White House life, picking up where her bestselling memoir left off. 

Netflix unveiled the first trailer for “Becoming ,” due out next month, Monday. In it, the former first lady briefly appears at a community event in Philadelphia, opening up about her experience readjusting to “normal” life outside of the political sphere since her husband, former President Barack Obama , left office. 

“So little of who I am happened in those eight years,” she explains. “So much more of who I was happened before.” 

Directed by Nadia Hallgren , “Becoming” shares its title with Obama’s 2018 autobiography . The documentary, however, focuses on the former first lady’s experiences promoting the book, often to sold-out crowds, in more than 30 U.S. cities as part of a cross-country tour .  

Obama said “the sense of connection” she experienced while on her tour felt particularly powerful amid the coronavirus pandemic. Hence, she hoped that “Becoming” would offer “joy and a bit of respite.” 

“Things that once felt simple — going to see a friend, sitting with someone who is hurting, embracing someone new — are now not simple at all,” she said in an emailed statement. “But I’m here for you.”

“Empathy is our lifeline here,” she continued. “It’s what will get us to the other side. Let’s use it to redirect our attention toward what matters most, reconsider our priorities, and find ways to better remake the world in the image of our hopes.” 

“Becoming” is being released by Higher Ground Productions. The Obamas launched the company which picked up an Oscar this year for “American Factory ” in 2018. 

Watch the full trailer for “Becoming,” out May 6 on Netflix , below.