Michelle Obama has opened up for the first time about her eldest daughter Malia Obama’s decision to drop the family surname as she forges her own path in the entertainment industry.
The 25-year-old, credited simply as Malia Ann, made her directorial debut at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival with the short film “The Heart.”
The project, which she both wrote and directed, marks her formal entry into Hollywood — but notably, without the Obama last name.
Speaking on the “Sibling Revelry” podcast hosted by Oliver and Kate Hudson on Wednesday, June 4, the former First Lady acknowledged Malia’s desire to step out of the presidential shadow of her parents, Barack and Michelle Obama, and build a name on her own merit.
“Our daughters (Malia and Sasha) are 25 and 23. They are young adult women, but they definitely went through a period in their teen years where it was the push away… They’re still doing that,” Michelle explained, adding that public scrutiny and expectations make it even harder for children of famous parents.
Michelle shared the mic with her brother and podcast co-host Craig Robinson, reflecting on how their family navigates fame and independence.
“It is very important for my kids to feel like they’ve earned what they are getting in the world… They don’t want people to assume that they don’t work hard,” she said. “They’re very sensitive to that — they want to be their own people.”
The former First Lady admitted that the family initially thought Malia’s choice might be ineffective:
“She took off her last name, and we were like, ‘They’re still going to know it’s you, Malia.’ But we respected the fact that she’s trying to make her way.”
Michelle also revealed that Malia and Sasha never wanted to be seen as “little princesses in the White House.”
“They wanted to push the envelope; they needed some rope,” she added. “They wanted to be out in the world, and I knew that under the circumstances, they needed more rope than I probably would’ve given them if I were my mom.”
Malia Obama, a Harvard graduate, has previously worked as a writer on Donald Glover’s Amazon series Swarm and is now emerging as a promising filmmaker.
