5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Michelle Obama says daughters distancing themselves from fame to earn success on their own
US First Lady Michelle Obama hosts Broadway Shines A Light on Girls' Education at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theater in Manhattan, New York, US, September 19, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS
Former First Lady Michelle Obama recently opened up about how her daughters, Malia and Sasha, continue to distance themselves from their family's high-profile legacy. Speaking on the Sibling Revelry podcast with Kate and Oliver Hudson, Michelle reflected on their journey into adulthood and their desire to earn success on their own terms.
Michelle highlighted a key example: Malia's decision to debut her directorial work, The Heart, at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival under the name 'Malia Ann,' omitting her well-known last name. 'We were like, 'They're still going to know it's you,'' Michelle recalled. 'But we respected the fact that she's trying to make her way.'
'They definitely went through a 'push away' phase in their teens,' she said. 'And they're still doing that. It's very important for my kids to feel like they've earned what they are getting in the world.'
Michelle and Barack Obama have both acknowledged their daughters' efforts to forge their own identities. During an appearance on The Pivot Podcast in 2024, Barack echoed the sentiment, saying that Malia and Sasha are 'very sensitive' and 'stubborn' about not leveraging their parents' fame. 'I told Malia, 'You know they'll still recognize you,'' he said. 'She just said, 'I want them to watch it without any assumptions.''
Both parents expressed admiration for their daughters' independence, underscoring their commitment to building lives and careers guided by merit and personal authenticity—rather than public legacy.
