Malia Obama, the eldest daughter of Barack and Michelle Obama, spent her formative years in the constant spotlight of the public. Despite being just ten years old when her father assumed the presidency of the world’s leading economic and military force, Malia has grown accustomed to the constant attention of the media.
Malia Obama’s Childhood & Education
Malia Obama, the firstborn child of Barack and Michelle Obama, was born in Chicago on July 4, 1998. During her childhood, her parents often praised her as being wise and contemplative.
In an interview in 2008, the Obamas shared that Malia enjoyed collecting keychains and participating in drama classes. As early as first grade, she was already responsible for setting her own alarm and making her bed each day.
Natasha, also called Sasha, is her younger sister. When their father became the president, their lives were completely transformed and they were also recognized as “First Daughters.”
Malia had attended the University of Chicago Laboratory School, a private institution, before relocating to Sidwell Friends School in Washington DC after her father’s inauguration in January 2009.
At Sidwell, she participated in soccer, dance, and drama. The Quaker school is renowned for its exclusivity and is a preferred choice for families in the political sphere.
Upon finishing high school in 2016, she secured an internship at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, Spain for the summer. Malia took a gap year after completing high school in 2016 before attending Harvard University, where she earned her degree in 2021.
Career
Throughout her gap year and university years, Malia Obama demonstrated a keen passion for the television industry. This led her to secure internships at Lena Dunham’s Girls and at the Weinstein Company.
She eventually worked as a production assistant on Halle Berry’s CBS sci-fi drama series Extant. She also has experience as a writer on Donald Glover‘s Amazon series, Swarm.
In addition to her writing, Malia has also had experience working behind the camera. In 2024, she made her directorial and writing debut at the Sundance Film Festival under the pseudonym Malia Ann.
The Hollywood Reporter states that her short film, titled The Heart, follows a mourning son who uncovers something unexpected in his mother’s will.
Aside from her imaginative pursuits, Malia Obama has shown a passion for social activism by participating in Black Lives Matter demonstrations alongside her younger sister during the summer of 2020. Michelle has expressed that the strong bond between Malia and Sasha is something she and Barack value greatly.
“I think that they realize that they have a unique bond because they’re the only two who know what they just went through — growing up in the White House with the brightest spotlight in the world on you as you were going through adolescence and puberty. They uniquely know what that means for them.”
Malia Obama Drops Her Surname For Hollywood
When the Sundance Institute announced the selection of short films for this year’s event in Utah, sharp-eyed viewers immediately noticed a particular name in the credits: “Malia Ann.”
This person was credited as the director of a short film titled The Heart. Later, a “Meet the Artist” video released by Sundance uncovered the true identity of this director as Malia Obama, the oldest daughter of former US President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.
It appears that Malia is not actively concealing her complete name, but rather attempting to establish some separation from her well-known parents. This is evident as the Sundance website features a picture of her distinct appearance and the aforementioned video, where she serves as the narrator. She narrates that the story is about
“A lonely man grieving the death of his mother after she leaves him an unusual request in her will.”
Personal Life
In 2022, there were rumors circulating about Malia Obama’s romantic involvement with music producer Dawit Eklund, after previously dating Rory Farquharson, a fellow Harvard student from Britain.
In September 2023, she was captured on camera in Los Angeles spending time with a new acquaintance and delighting in a sushi outing.
The ex-First Daughter donned a stylish, all-black outfit and was seen exiting the eatery with rapper Animé, who had recently completed a tour in North America and is preparing for upcoming shows in Asia.
