Malia Obama, 25, Embraces New Name as She Launches Hollywood Career
March 5, 2025 – by Sophorsnov – Leave a Comment
Malia Obama, daughter of former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, is carving her own path in the entertainment industry—choosing to do so under a new name.
At 25, Malia recently premiered her directorial debut, The Heart, at the Sundance Film Festival. Notably, the film’s credits did not include her well-known last name.
Born Malia Ann Obama on July 4, 1998, she was named in honor of her paternal grandmother, who passed away from ovarian cancer in 1995. Despite growing up in the public eye and later graduating from Harvard, Malia pursued a career in screenwriting and filmmaking.
For her latest project, The Heart, where she took on both directing and screenwriting roles, she opted to go by “Malia Ann.” She also made a striking red carpet appearance at the film’s premiere earlier this year.
This isn’t her first step into the film industry. In 2021, Malia was part of the writing team for the Amazon Prime series Swarm, which starred Billie Eilish and Rory Culkin.
Speaking about her contributions, Swarm co-creator Janine Nabers told E! Online, “Some of her pitches were wild and so good. She’s an incredible writer—dedicated and talented.”
Despite her famous background, executive producer Stephen Glover emphasized that Malia was treated like any other writer on the team. “We can’t go easy on her just because she’s the [former] President’s daughter,” he told Vanity Fair. “She’s down to earth and cool, so it’s not an issue at all.”
Her parents, Barack and Michelle Obama, have expressed their pride in her achievements. On her 25th birthday, Barack shared a heartfelt message on Instagram:
“Happy birthday to this talented, hilarious, and beautiful young woman. Malia, I hope 25 brings you everything you’re looking for and more.”