Michelle Obama has shared how she and her husband, former President Barack Obama, responded when their eldest daughter, Malia, decided to step away from using the family name in her professional career.

Speaking on the Sibling Revelry podcast with Kate and Oliver Hudson on June 3, Michelle revealed that while the decision may not grant Malia total anonymity, she and Barack respect their daughter’s desire to establish her own identity.

“Malia, who started in film her first project, she took off her last name,” Michelle explained. “And we’re like, ‘They’re still going to know it’s you, Malia.’ But we respect that she’s trying to make her way.”

Malia, 26, made the change public earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, where her short film The Heart premiered. In the credits and in a “Meet the Artist” feature video produced by the Sundance Institute, she was credited as Malia Ann, dropping the Obama surname entirely.

Michelle said she and Barack understand their daughters’ need to “push away” and create their own paths.

“Our daughters are 26 and 23. They are young adult women, but they definitely went through a period in their teen years where it was the push away,” Michelle noted.
“They’re still doing that. You’re trying to distinguish yourself. It’s important for my kids to feel like they’ve earned what they are getting in the world. They don’t want people to assume they don’t work hard or that things are just handed to them. They’re very sensitive to that.”

Michelle also reflected on parenting Malia and Sasha during their years in the White House and how she adapted her approach to allow them space to grow.

“Now that they’re older, they are embracing our parenting principles. They have a clear understanding of why we did what we did. They see us as full human beings now,” she said. “In the same way I discovered that with my own parents when I went away to college.”

The former First Lady added that her daughters never wanted to be treated like royalty, even while living in the most famous residence in the U.S.

“Our daughters definitely didn’t want to be little princesses in the White House. They wanted to push the envelope. They needed some rope. They wanted to try things and be out in the world,” Michelle said.
“And I knew given the circumstances they probably needed more freedom than I could have given them if I were parenting under normal conditions.”