Malia Obama, the eldest daughter of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, is now carving out her own path—and she’s even chosen to go by a different name.
At 25, she recently premiered her directorial debut, The Heart, at the Sundance Film Festival.
Interestingly, when the film’s credits rolled, her famous last name was nowhere to be seen.
Malia Ann Obama was born on July 4, 1998, with her middle name honoring her paternal grandmother, who passed away from ovarian cancer at the age of 52 in 1995. After spending her childhood in the public eye as the daughter of a U.S. President and later earning a degree from Harvard, Malia decided to pursue a career in screenwriting.
For her latest project, The Heart, in which she takes on both directing and screenwriting roles, Malia chose to work under the name Malia Ann. Earlier this year, she made a striking appearance on the festival’s red carpet, attending the premiere of her film.
However, this isn’t her first step into the entertainment world. Back in 2021, she was part of the writing team for the series Swarm, which later premiered on Amazon Prime. Featuring well-known actors like Billie Eilish and Rory Culkin, Swarm served as a strong starting point for her career in the industry.
“Some of her pitches were wild as hell, and they were just so good and so funny. She’s an incredible writer,” Swarm co-creator Janine Nabers told E! Online while praising Malia’s talent. “She brought a lot to the table… She’s really, really dedicated to her craft.”
Despite her high-profile background, Swarm executive producer Stephen Glover made it clear that Malia wasn’t given any special treatment.
“We can’t be easy on her just because she’s the [former] President’s daughter,” he told Vanity Fair. “Nah, she’s very down to earth and cool. So, it’s not a problem at all.”
Barack and Michelle Obama couldn’t be prouder of their daughter Malia, celebrating her 25th birthday with heartfelt messages.
“Happy birthday to this talented, hilarious, and beautiful young woman,” Barack shared on Instagram. “Malia, I hope 25 brings you everything you’re looking for and more.”
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Michelle reinforced her husband’s message with a heartfelt post: “Happy birthday, Malia! I feel so lucky to be your mom and to be able to watch you become the wonderful young woman you are today. Love you so much! ?”
From Malia Obama to Malia Ann, from being the President’s daughter to carving her own path as a rising Hollywood screenwriter and director, her future looks incredibly promising!
