Malia Obama drops last name for directorial debut, seeks independence in career

Malia Obama, 26, has changed her name for her directorial debut, opting to be credited as Malia Ann instead of using her last name. This decision reflects her desire to avoid leveraging her father's fame in her career. Barack Obama discussed this on The Pivot Podcast, noting that both Malia and her sister Sasha prefer to build their careers independently. He acknowledged their sensitivity about using their family name and their determination to distance themselves from it. During his presidency, Obama made efforts to protect his daughters from media attention. He requested that the press respect their privacy, which he believes has allowed them to grow up more grounded despite increased scrutiny as adults.