Michelle Obama Speaks After Malia Drops Family Name Obama

In a moment of honesty and pride, Michelle Obama has spoken publicly for the first time about her daughter Malia’s quiet move to step out from under the family name.

During a recent episode of the podcast Sibling Revelry, hosted by actors Kate and Oliver Hudson, the former First Lady opened up about the decision by 25-year-old Malia to credit herself as “Malia Ann” — dropping the Obama surname — in her short film The Heart. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last year.

Michelle described the move as part of a broader journey for both her daughters, Malia and Sasha, who she says are working hard to define themselves on their own terms.

“Our daughters are 25 and 23. They’re young adults now,” she said. “But like most kids, they went through that stage where you want to push away, make your own name.”

Malia’s choice surprised some, but Michelle says she and Barack respected it — even if they found it a bit amusing at first.

“We were like, ‘They’re still going to know it’s you, Malia,’” Michelle said with a laugh. “But we respected the fact that she’s trying to make her way.”

Barack Obama offered a similar reflection last October during an appearance on The Pivot Podcast. He recounted a conversation with Malia, where he gently pointed out that people would likely still recognise her, even without the surname.

“She said, ‘I want them to watch it the first time without any assumptions,’” he recalled.

For the Obamas, this seems to mark a turning point — not just in their daughters’ careers, but in their understanding as a family.

“As they’ve grown, I think they’ve come to embrace the values we raised them with,” Michelle said. “They see now why we did what we did.”

Malia, who has long shown an interest in storytelling and the arts, has been quietly building her film career. Her debut project, The Heart, received positive attention on the festival circuit. Critics praised its intimate tone and storytelling, though some were caught off-guard by the unfamiliar name in the credits.

Her younger sister Sasha, meanwhile, has kept a lower public profile, reportedly pursuing interests in fashion and creative media.

Michelle, who has been more outspoken in recent years about the pressures of public life and motherhood, also touched on the burden of expectations placed on women in the public eye.

In an earlier podcast appearance on Work in Progress with actress Sophia Bush, she dismissed long-standing rumours about marital struggles with Barack, calling them baseless and reflective of a larger issue.

“We’re not allowed to make decisions for ourselves without it being seen as negative,” she said. “People always expect women — especially public women — to perform.”

The former First Lady’s candid remarks arrive as the Obama daughters continue to navigate adult life away from the spotlight of the White House, choosing instead to shape their futures with quiet determination.

“They don’t want anyone to think it’s been handed to them,” Michelle said. “They want to earn it. And I’m proud of that.”

As Malia continues her journey in film, it’s clear that the name she chooses to use matters far less than the stories she wants to tell — and the independence she’s claiming along the way

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