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Malia Obama is stepping into the film industry with commercial and film debuts, but you won't find her last name in the credits
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Former first daughter Malia Obama is now going by Malia Ann in her professional work, leaving off her last name as she takes on creative roles
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Some have questioned whether the decision is a statement, but her mother, Michelle, is shedding light on the real reason in a recent episode of the podcast Sibling Revelry
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And it is very important for my kids to feel like they've earned what they are getting in the world
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And they don't want people to assume that they don't work hard, that they're just naturally just handed things
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Malia recently directed a Nike campaign starring WNBA star Asia Wilson. And in 2023, Malia made her short film debut as a director with The Heart, which was featured in the 2024 Sundance Film Festival
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You know, Malia, who started in film, I mean, her first project, she took off her last name and we were like, they're still going to know it's you, Malia
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You know, but we respected the fact that, you know, she's trying to make her way
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As Malia and her sister Sasha continue to grow into their paths as young women, the former first lady says they're starting to understand the choices their parents made and embrace the values they were raised with, even under the spotlight of the White House
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With Straight Arrow news, I'm Kennedy Felton. Download our app or visit san.com for more
