Malia Obama was all smiles as she arrived at the Sundance Film Festival last month for the premiere of her short film “The Heart.”
But sadly for Malia, the film got mostly negative reviews, and many are calling out the former first daughter as another example of nepotism in the entertainment industry.
Who Is Malia Obama?
Malia is the eldest daughter of former president, Barack Obama, and former first lady, Michelle Obama. Of course, when her father was in office, Malia was one of the most famous teenagers on the planet.
Even though Obama left the Oval Office in 2016, the world has still been watching Malia Obama closely as she went off to college and started her career in the film and television industry.
From Harvard to Hollywood
After graduating high school, Malia famously enrolled at Harvard University, one of the most prestigious ivy league schools on the planet.
After she graduated, Malia interned on the popular HBO show “Girls,” and then got her first real job as a staff writer for Donald Glover’s series “Swarm.”
Malia Obama Was Certainly Succeeding in Her Career
Ask anyone in Hollywood, and they will explain just how challenging it can be to get a foot in the door of this hyper-competitive industry, let alone climb the ranks.
But shortly after deciding to work in the entertainment industry Malia was already working as a production assistant to Halle Berry’s famous series “Extant.”
The Obamas Also Segued Into Entertainment
In a somewhat surprising turn of events, while Malia was getting her career off the ground, her parents, Barack and Michelle Obama, decided to join her in the entertainment industry.
The Obamas started Higher Ground Productions in 2018, and by 2020, they had already won an Oscar for the documentary “American Factory.” The production company has been quite successful overall.
Making It on Her Own
However, even though the Obamas have a successful production company, Malia decided she didn’t want to work for or with her parents, at least during her first few years in the industry.
While she hasn’t commented directly on the decision, it’s probably safe to assume that Malia didn’t want to be seen as using her name or connections to make it in Hollywood. However, that plan didn’t quite pan out.
Working With Donald Glover Instead of Barack Obama
Last year, at only 24 years old, Malia decided she wanted to give writing and directing a try. But instead of working with her parents’ production company, she pitched the idea for her short film to Donald Glover’s company, Gilga.
Gilga and Glover decided to go ahead with the film Malia entitled “The Heart.” Though Glover said he told Malia when they signed the deal, “You’re Obama’s daughter. So if you make a bad film, it will follow you around.”
Malia’s Short Film Was Certainly a Risky Choice
There’s no doubt that Malia’s decision to release a short film at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival was a bold move.
First, because Malia is so young and has little experience in the industry, and second, because she is Obama’s daughter, her film would never be just like all the others.
Maila Ann Didn’t Fool Anyone
There was nothing she could do about her age, but Malia did try to conceal her identity by naming herself “Malia Ann” in the credits instead of Malia Obama.
However, Malia didn’t fool anyone. Everyone at Sundance, as well as everyone who has watched the film since, knew from the very first scene that Obama’s daughter was the director.
Less Than Stellar Reviews for “The Heart”
“The Heart” tells the story of a “lonely man [who] grieves the death of his mother after an argument about groceries and an odd request in her will.”
While the film is certainly meant to ignite empathy from the viewer, that’s certainly not what Malia got from reviewers. Some people did truly enjoy the movie, but many others had harsh criticisms, such as calling it “truly dreadful,” a “half-baked short,” and Malia’s “first attempt at a short [made] very little sense.”
Malia Obama: Just Another Nepo Baby?
Some reviewers were more focused on the fact that Malia was able to get a giant company like Gilga to produce her first-ever short and, even more shockingly, actually get it played at Sundance. These kinds of opportunities are unbelievably rare for almost everyone else in the world.
One reviewer even called out Michelle and Barack, writing, “The Obamas took on entire new careers so Malia Obama could be a nepo baby in the right industry.”
The Ongoing Nepotism Debate
Malia Obama is just the latest in the ongoing debate about nepotism, aka “nepo babies” in the entertainment industry. Some argue that children of famous people shouldn’t be getting opportunities above others just because of their names. Whereas others say that there’s nothing wrong with seizing an opportunity to succeed based on family connections.
Either way, as “The Heart” was Malia’s first attempt at directing, it’s highly likely that she will try again. And if she doesn’t have what it takes, name or no name, she won’t make it in Hollywood.
