Viola Davis says critics ‘serve no purpose’ but we do – and it’s not to sell tickets | Arifa Akbar

The actor's response to criticism of The First Lady is astonishingly thin-skinned and misses our role in building dialogue and serving readers

It's hard to see your idols torn down unfairly but it's also galling when they attempt to tear you down without just cause. I am a Viola Davis fan; many of her performances have been majestic and the critics have often crowded round to say so, as far as I can tell.

But some have not been kind about her portrayal of Michelle Obama in The First Lady and now she has said that critics absolutely serve no purpose", although her defenders suggest the comment refers to critics on Twitter, not the entire body of criticism.

Arifa Akbar is the Guardian's chief theatre critic