Barack Obama reveals his surprising

Michelle and Barack Obama have both shared their reactions to daughter Malia’s decision to drop the “Obama” surname in her professional work. Now 26, Malia chose to go by “Malia Ann” when she wrote and directed a short film titled The Heart, which premiered at Sundance in 2024. On the Sibling Revelry podcast, Michelle admitted her first thought was, “They’re still going to know it’s you, Malia,” but respected her daughter’s desire to carve her own path. She explained that both Malia and Sasha are very sensitive to assumptions of privilege and want to earn their success independently.

Barack shared similar sentiments on The Pivot Podcast, saying he told Malia, “You do know they’ll know who you are,” to which she responded that she wanted people to view her work without preconceptions. He described both daughters as independent and reluctant to accept help, emphasizing how determined they are to be seen as individuals. Barack also praised Malia’s filmmaking achievements, noting her collaboration with Donald Glover and her film’s selection at major festivals, while proudly mentioning she chose not to use the Obama name in the credits.