Michelle Obama knows that it’s not easy to be in the public eye. As the former First Lady of the United States, the scrutiny was real, and she empathizes with her daughter, Malia, 26, as she tries to forge her own path as a filmmaker.
Malia made her Sundance Film Festival debut in January with the short film, The Heart. While the movie was well-received, fans were curious about the notable name change: “Malia Ann.” Now, Michelle is breaking her silence on the June 2 episode of the Sibling Revelry podcast, hosted by Kate and Oliver Hudson.
With her usual sense of humor, Michelle told the celebrity brother and sister, “Malia, who started in film—I mean, her first project—she took off her last name. And we’re like, ‘They’re still gonna know it’s you, sweetie.’ But we get it.”
Malia Ann Obama.
Barry Brecheisen/Getty Images.
Mom understands that Malia and younger sister, Sasha, 23, want their “own identity” and “own life” that is separate from their parents’ White House careers.
“They are young adult women, but they definitely went through a period in their teen years where it was the push away … [where] you’re trying to distinguish yourself,” Michelle added.
She revealed that Malia and Sasha are “very sensitive” to the “nepo baby” label that is often branded on kids with very famous parents. She knows her children “want to be their own people” and “not mom and dad hooking them up.”
“I mean, it is very important for my kids to feel like they’ve earned what they are getting in the world, and they don’t want people to assume that they don’t work hard, that they’re just naturally, just handed things,” she confirmed.
Malia, who recently directed a Nike commercial starring WNBA star A’ja Wilson, received rave reviews from Donald Glover in March 2022 after she wrote for his Prime Video show, Swarm.
He described her as “an amazingly talented person” to Vanity Fair, noting that she is “really focused, and she’s working really hard.”
It remains to be seen whether Malia will continue to use her middle name for Hollywood, but Michelle knows that the Obama moniker carries a heavy weight in the spotlight.
Before you go, click here to see the best photos of Malia Obama.
