Gillian Anderson dazzled in Los Angeles at the premiere of her new series The First Lady

Gillian Anderson, Viola Davis as Michelle Obama and Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford (Image: Getty)

The 5ft 2ins actress, who wore a hot pink outfit and stilettoes, plays Eleanor Roosevelt - the wife of US president Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Also starring in the 10-part series are Viola Davis, 56, as Michelle Obama, and Michelle Pfeiffer, 63, as Betty Ford.

Anderson, 53, told Entertainment Weekly: "I found myself just completely gobsmacked with how much Eleanor accomplished, and how much I didn't know.

"And I was initially stuck a little bit on the fact that she's so much taller than I am. She's notoriously tall.

"And I really wanted to know how production was going to deal with the fact that she had almost seven inches on me. But they hired me."

A UK release date has not been confirmed.

Gillian Anderson is well-heeled as she attends the Los Angeles premiere of her new series, The First Lady.