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Draft:Malia Obama

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  • Comment: This draft is a draft on a subtopic of an existing article, Family of Barack Obama. Discussion as to whether a separate article for the subtopic is warranted should be on the talk page of the parent article, Talk:Family of Barack Obama.
    Please discuss the suitability of creating a separate subtopic article on the talk page of the parent article. Please resubmit this draft if there is rough consensus at the parent talk page to create the child article, or with an explanation that the child draft satisfies either general notability on its own or a special notability guide.
    Please discuss at Talk:Family of Barack Obama as to whether Malia Obama is individually notable, before resubmitting. Robert McClenon (talk) 05:05, 13 September 2024 (UTC)

Malia Obama
Malia Obama (right) 2009
Born
Malia Ann Obama

(1998-07-04) July 4, 1998 (age 26)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Parent(s)Michelle Obama
Barack Obama
RelativesFamily of Barack Obama

Malia Ann Obama..[1] ( mə-LEE-ə; born July 4, 1998)[2] is an American filmmaker and writer, and the eldest daughter of former U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama [3][4]. Known for her work in television and film, Malia began pursuing a career in the entertainment industry following her time as First Daughter.[5][6]

Early life

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Malia Obama was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She spent much of her childhood in the public eye after her father was elected President of the United States in 2008. She attended Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C.[7], graduating in 2016. After a gap year, she enrolled at Harvard University in 2017 and graduated in 2021[8].

Malia Obama and her younger sister Sasha Obama were named two of "The Most Influential Teens of 2014" by TIME magazine.[9]

Early Career and Internships Career

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In March 2016, Malia Obama acted as an informal translator for her father, President Barack Obama, during their visit to Cuba. She translated Spanish to English during a meal in Old Havana, showcasing her language skills during the historic trip.[10]

In the summer of 2016, Malia Obama interned at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, Spain, during her gap year before attending Harvard University. Malia, who was proficient in Spanish, had previously served as an unofficial translator during her father's visit to Cuba.[11][12]

In June 2016, Obama travelled to Liberia in Western Africa to promote the Let Girls Learn Peace initiative, a $27 million aid program. She then participated in a panel discussion in Morocco with Freida Pinto, Meryl Streep, and Isha Sesay of CNN. Obama met with Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first elected African female head of state (President of Liberia from 2006 to 2018).[13]

Malia's involvement in the entertainment industry began with internships during her teenage years. In 2015, she interned on HBO's Girls, created by Lena Dunham, followed by a role on the set of Halle Berry’s CBS series Extant [8]. In early 2017, she worked as an intern at The Weinstein Company[14] in New York, a position that predated the public revelations about Harvey Weinstein's misconduct [8].

Writing and Filmmaking Career

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In 2023, Malia contributed as a writer to the Amazon Prime series Swarm, which was created by Donald Glover and Janine Nabers. She co-wrote the show's fifth episode, "Girl Bye." Both Glover and Nabers noted her professionalism and dedication to the project[15][16]. In an interview, former President Barack Obama discussed watching the series due to his daughter's involvement. While he expressed admiration for the show, he admitted finding certain aspects "a little disturbing," referring to some of the more intense scenes.[17][18]

Malia made her directorial debut[19] in 2024 with The Heart, a 19-minute short film produced by Glover's company, Gilga[20]. The film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, centers on a man grieving the death of his mother after a disagreement and an unusual request in her will[21][22]. To distance herself from her family's political legacy,[23] she chose to be credited as "Malia Ann" for this project [24][25]. Reception to the film was mixed, with some critics accusing her of benefiting from nepotism. Reviews on the platform Letterboxd averaged 3.2 out of 5, with some describing the film as "half-baked" [25][22].

Despite these critiques, Malia was awarded the inaugural Young Spirit Award at the Deauville American Film Festival in France, where she presented the film [26].

Public Persona and Fashion

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Malia Obama has gained recognition not only for her work in film but also for her distinct fashion sense[27]. She has been described as a fashion figure.[28][5] For example, at the Deauville American Film Festival, she wore a Vivienne Westwood ensemble, which drew attention[29] for its signature corset-style top and layered skirt. Malia described it as a unique experience, expressing admiration for the designer's work despite her self-professed limited knowledge of fashion[30][31]

Personal Life

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Though Malia grew up in the public eye, she has kept much of her personal life private. Unlike her parents[32], she has shown little interest in pursuing a political career, focusing instead on her work in the entertainment industry[33]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Malia Obama". The Independent. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  2. ^ Sprankles, Julie; Sprankles, Julie (July 4, 2020). "Get to Know Malia Obama". SheKnows. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  3. ^ Obama, Barack (November 23, 2010). Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters. Penguin Random House Children's UK. ISBN 978-1-4464-3092-7.
  4. ^ Tieck, Sarah (September 1, 2009). Sasha & Malia Obama: Historic First Kids: Historic First Kids. ABDO. ISBN 978-1-61714-199-7.
  5. ^ a b Logan, Elizabeth (September 9, 2024). "Malia Obama Wore Schoolgirl Couture to Screen Her Directorial Debut". Glamour. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  6. ^ Cohen, Danielle (September 9, 2024). "Malia Obama Knows Her Way Around a Red Carpet". The Cut. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  7. ^ "Here's Everything We Know About Sasha Obama's Time In College". Yahoo Entertainment. September 5, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Rahman, Abid (January 20, 2017). "Malia Obama to Intern for Harvey Weinstein". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  9. ^ "The 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014". Time. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  10. ^ Naja Rayne (March 21, 2016). "Malia Works as Translator for President Obama During Family's Historic Cuba Trip". people.com.
  11. ^ "Malia Obama to spend summer as an intern at U.S. Embassy in Spain". foxnews.com. June 28, 2016. Archived from the original on May 16, 2017.
  12. ^ "Malia Obama Archives". Us Weekly. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  13. ^ "Michelle, Malia and Sasha Obama travel abroad to promote 'Let Girls Learn' initiative". yahoo.com.
  14. ^ "When Obamas Came Under Fire For Allowing Their Daughter to Intern With Harvey Weinstein - Inquisitr". www.inquisitr.com. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  15. ^ "Donald Glover's 'Swarm' is like 'a sister' to 'Atlanta', says co-creator". EW.com. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  16. ^ Brisco, Elise. "'Atlanta's Donald Glover praises Malia Obama as an upcoming show writer: 'She's really focused'". USA TODAY. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  17. ^ "Barack Obama Found 'Swarm' to Be "A Little Disturbing," Despite Daughter Malia's Involvement in It | Decider". Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  18. ^ Bowenbank, Starr (June 27, 2023). "Barack Obama Says He Watched Daughter Malia's Work on 'Swarm' — Even the 'Disturbing' Parts". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  19. ^ "Netizens Gasp at Malia Obama's Real Voice in a Rare Red Carpet Interview: "She Sounds Unique" - Inquisitr". www.inquisitr.com. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  20. ^ McBride, Jessica (September 8, 2024). "Fans React to Hearing Malia Obama's Voice for 1st Time in Rare Red Carpet Appearance". Heavy.com. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  21. ^ Sharf, Zack (April 4, 2023). "Malia Obama Developing Short Film at Donald Glover's Company; He Told Her: 'If You Make a Bad Film, It Will Follow You Around'". Variety. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  22. ^ a b Nelken-Zitser, Joshua. "Malia Obama made her directorial debut at Sundance with a short film about a grieving son. Reviewers weren't impressed". Business Insider. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  23. ^ Mzezewa, Tariro (February 22, 2024). "Looks Like Malia Obama Is Dropping Her Last Name". The Cut. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  24. ^ Rahbar, Sabba (February 21, 2024). "Malia Obama embraces new stage name during Hollywood directing career debut". NBC Connecticut.
  25. ^ a b "Malia Dropped Her Last Name". Marie Claire. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  26. ^ "Malia Obama Makes Rare Red Carpet Appearance at French Film Festival: 'A Little Bit Terrified'". Peoplemag. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  27. ^ Prince, Kate (August 17, 2024). "Malia Obama's Post White House Style Transformation". The List. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  28. ^ Jackson, Hannah (February 2, 2024). "Malia Obama Is the Reigning Queen of Gen Z Style". Vogue. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  29. ^ "Everyone Is Talking About Malia Obama's Plaid Dress She Wore in France". The Root. September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  30. ^ "Malia Obama Makes Rare Red Carpet Appearance at French Film Festival: 'A Little Bit Terrified'". Peoplemag. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  31. ^ "Malia Obama looks effortlessly cool in Vivienne Westwood at the Deauville Film Festival". Harper's BAZAAR. September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  32. ^ "Barack Obama Reveals Why His Daughters Will Never Go Into Politics". HuffPost. June 17, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  33. ^ Jackson, Hannah (February 2, 2024). "Malia Obama Is the Reigning Queen of Gen Z Style". Vogue. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
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Category:1998 births Category:Children of presidents of the United States Category:Living people Malia Category:People from Chicago Category:Sidwell Friends School alumni Category:University of Chicago Laboratory Schools alumni Category:21st-century American screenwriters Category:American film directors

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