Malia Obama, the eldest daughter of former U.S. President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, has made a notable professional decision by opting to use only her first and middle name, Malia Ann, for her burgeoning career in Hollywood. This choice was evident in the credits of her short film, "The Heart," which she wrote and directed and which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2024. The 26-year-old's move to step away from the globally recognized Obama surname in her professional projects has garnered significant attention.

Michelle Obama, 61, recently addressed her daughter's decision during an appearance on Kate and Oliver Hudson’s podcast, ‘Sibling Revelry’, on Wednesday, 4 June. The former First Lady shared that her initial candid advice to Malia was, "They’re still going to know it’s you, Malia." Despite this, Michelle Obama expressed a deep understanding and respect for Malia's desire to forge her own path.

During the podcast, Michelle elaborated on the challenges her daughters, Malia and Sasha (23), face growing up in the public eye. She described their current phase as part of a "push away" period, common for young adults seeking independence, particularly those with famous parents. "Our daughters 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. She highlighted the critical importance for her children to "feel like they've earned what they are getting in the world" and to avoid assumptions that their successes are merely handed to them due to their lineage. "They don't want people to assume that they don't work hard, that they're just naturally, just handed things," she stated, adding that both daughters are "very sensitive to that" and determined to "be their own people."

Reiterating her support, Michelle Obama said, "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." This sentiment underscores the family's backing of Malia's pursuit of an independent professional identity.

The announcement of Malia's name change and Michelle's subsequent comments has elicited a spectrum of reactions on social media, with opinions sharply divided. Some users expressed disapproval, with one writing, “Sucks to be a father and build a legacy just to have your children abandon your name.” Humorous and somewhat critical takes also emerged, such as, “Can I get that last name off her then?” and “Girl if you don’t use that nepotism!” Others questioned the practical impact of the name change, given her recognizable appearance, with comments like, “This hilarious because she look EXACTLY like Obama,” and “I mean we still know she’s the daughter of Barack so idk how much it’s gonna help but cool.”

However, a significant number of people defended Malia's choice, empathizing with the potential pressures of her family name. One supporter commented, “I can understand it, just because someone is great doesn’t mean their kids also will be, that pressure and expectations will loom over you for your whole life because people expect you to be the same or have a superior mindset.” Another echoed this by saying, “Maybe she wants to build her own legacy…lol nothing she does will remove her from the Obama family tree. It’s just time to write her own story.” These comments reflect an understanding of Malia's aspiration to be recognized for her individual merits and creative work as she navigates her career in the film industry.