Who Is Malia Obama? Biography, Career, Personal Life, and the Copying Controversy

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Malia Obama — former First Daughter, Harvard graduate, and emerging filmmaker — is once again in the spotlight. But this time, it's not for her famous family or Ivy League background. Malia is facing accusations of copying an indie creator’s work in a Nike commercial she directed.

The controversy has sparked debate about privilege, originality, and recognition in the creative industry.

Malia used her middle name Ann instead of Obama

Malia Obama: Childhood, Education, and Family

Born on July 4, 1998, in Chicago, Malia Ann Obama is the eldest daughter of Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, and Michelle Obama, former First Lady and bestselling author.

Growing up in the public eye, Malia entered the White House at age 10 and spent her teenage years balancing school, state dinners, and Secret Service protection. She attended the prestigious Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C., and later graduated from Harvard University in 2021, where she studied Visual and Environmental Studies with a focus on filmmaking.

A Budding Career in Film

Malia’s interest in the entertainment industry became clear early on. She interned on the set of HBO’s Girls, worked at The Weinstein Company, and served as a production assistant on the sci-fi series Extant. In 2022, she joined the writers' room of Donald Glover’s Amazon Prime series Swarm, where she contributed to an episode exploring fame and obsession.

In 2023, she debuted her first short film, The Heart, at the Sundance Film Festival. Choosing to be credited as Malia Ann, she aimed to carve out an identity beyond her political lineage.

The Nike Ad Controversy: Accusation of Copying Indie Film “Grace”

Indie filmmaker Natalie Jasmine Harrishas accused former president Barack Obama's daughter Malia of copying her short film Grace in her Nike advertisement

In May 2025, Malia directed a Nike ad spotlighting WNBA star A’ja Wilson and her new signature shoe, the Nike A'One. The commercial was praised for its artistic vision — until independent filmmaker Natalie Jasmine Harris called it out.

Harris, best known for her 2024 short film Grace, posted side-by-side comparisons on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). She pointed to a scene in the Nike spot where two Black girls play pat-a-cake — almost identical in composition, color tone, and camera angle to a scene in Grace.

"It’s beyond inspiration — it’s replication," Harris wrote. "When you pour your soul into work with barely any budget, and then see something eerily similar backed by a multi-billion dollar brand, it’s painful."

She clarified that her frustration wasn’t personal but systemic — about how big names often eclipse indie creators, especially Black women trying to break into film.

Why This Story Resonates

This isn’t just about one scene or one commercial. The controversy has opened up a larger conversation about:

• Credit and compensation for creative ideas

• The role of nepotism and access in the arts

• The fine line between inspiration and imitation

Social media users are split. Some defend Malia, suggesting the similarity could be coincidental. Others are calling on Nike and Malia to acknowledge the influence or even compensate Harris. As of this writing, neither Nike nor Malia has issued a public response.

Who Is Natalie Jasmine Harris?

Harris is no minor player in indie film. A rising star in New York’s queer cinema scene, she made waves with Grace, a tender coming-of-age story about a Black girl grappling with her identity in a conservative religious environment. The film won several awards and was widely circulated in LGBTQ+ and Black film festivals.

In her statements, Harris emphasized how long and hard she worked to get her story seen — without celebrity backing or a major platform. That’s what made the alleged copying so devastating.

Personal Life: Who Is Malia Obama Dating?

Since 2022, Malia has been romantically linked to Dawit Eklund, a music producer and co-founder of Washington D.C.’s indie label 1432 R. Eklund’s father worked for the State Department, and his mother is Ethiopian. The two have been seen holding hands in Los Angeles and New York, but neither has confirmed the relationship publicly.

What Happens Next?

As the story unfolds, two questions loom:

1. Will Nike or Malia respond to the accusations?

2. Could this impact Malia’s rising career as a filmmaker?

For now, Malia remains a polarizing figure — emblematic of the tension between creative aspiration and inherited opportunity.

Conclusion

Malia Obama’s journey is far from typical, and her ambitions are clearly serious. But as the Nike ad controversy shows, even legacy names must navigate the complex ethics of creative work — and in the internet age, accountability can come swiftly.

FAQs

1. Who is Malia Obama?

Malia Obama is the eldest daughter of Barack and Michelle Obama. She is a Harvard graduate and emerging filmmaker, known for her work on Amazon’s Swarm and her short film The Heart.

2. What is the controversy involving Malia Obama?

Malia is accused of copying a scene from indie filmmaker Natalie Jasmine Harris’s 2024 short film Grace in a Nike commercial she directed for WNBA star A’ja Wilson.

3. What are the similarities between the Nike ad and Grace?

Both feature nearly identical scenes of two young Black girls playing pat-a-cake, with similar framing, lighting, and color palettes.

4. Has Malia Obama responded to the allegations?

As of now, neither Malia Obama nor Nike has issued an official statement addressing the claims.

5. Who is Natalie Jasmine Harris?

Harris is an award-winning indie filmmaker known for exploring themes of identity, race, and queerness. Her short film Grace received critical acclaim in 2024.

6. Why is this issue significant?

The situation highlights ongoing concerns in the creative industry about crediting original creators, particularly lesser-known artists without major platforms or famous connections.

7. What is Malia Obama’s background in filmmaking?

She interned at HBO, The Weinstein Company, and worked as a writer on Swarm. She made her directorial debut at Sundance in 2023 under the name “Malia Ann.”

8. Is this Malia Obama's first controversy?

This is the first major public controversy involving her creative work. Previously, she has maintained a low profile despite her high-profile background.

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