For her first red carpet appearance at the Sundance Film Festival, Malia Obama kept it comfy and casual.
On Jan. 17, the 25-year-old arrived at the event in Utah looking cozy in a long gray coat, a matching scarf, a blue-striped button-down shirt and a pair of black leggings.
Malia debuted her short film, “The Heart,” which she wrote and directed. It’s about a grieving son whose mother left him with an unusual request in her will, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“The film is about lost objects and lonely people and forgiveness and regret, but I also think it works hard to uncover where tenderness and closeness can exist in these things,” Malia said in a video to promote the movie.
“We hope you enjoy the film and it makes you feel a bit less lonely, or at least reminds you not to forget about the people who are,” she added.
Malia is former President Barack Obama’s oldest daughter. Obama also shares his 22-year-old daughter, Sasha, with his wife, Michelle Obama.
Read on to learn more about the Obamas two kids.
Malia Obama
On June 4, 1998, Obama and Michelle Obama welcomed their first daughter, Malia Ann Obama, into the world.
In 2020, Barack Obama talked to InStyle about his daughter’s personality, sharing that she’s a “buoyant” person.
“She’s somebody who enjoys people, enjoys life and enjoys conversation. She’s never bored, which is a badass quality that can take you places,” he said.
In 2016, Malia graduated from the prestigious Sidwell Friends School in the District of Columbia, per NBCNews. After she graduated, Malia took a year off from school before she attended Harvard University in 2017.
Nowadays, Malia has been using her time to write and direct new movies and TV shows.
Most recently, “The Heart” director is credited with being a writer on Donald Glover’s 2023 TV show “The Swarm.”
In an interview with Vanity Fair, he praised her writing abilities.
“She’s just like, an amazingly talented person,” he said. “She’s really focused, and she’s working really hard.
“I feel like she’s just somebody who’s going to have really good things coming soon,” Glover added. “Her writing style is great.”
In July 2023, Barack and Michelle Obama wished Malia a happy 25th birthday on Instagram.
In his post, Barack Obama shared a sweet photo of him hugging his daughter. He penned the caption, “Happy birthday to this talented, hilarious, and beautiful young woman. Malia, I hope 25 brings you everything you’re looking for and more.”
Michelle Obama shared a throwback photo of her and Malia together.
She wrote, “Happy birthday, Malia! I feel so lucky to be your mom and to be able to watch you become the wonderful young woman you are today. Love you so much! 💕.”
Sasha Obama
On June 10, 2001, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama welcomed their second daughter, Natasha “Sasha” Obama, into the world.
In 2020, Obama told InStyle that he admires Sasha’s independence and commitment to her views.
“Sasha is, as Malia describes it, completely confident about her own take on the world and is not cowed or intimidated — and never has been — by anybody’s titles, anybody’s credentials. If she thinks something’s wrong or right, she will say so,” he said.
Barack Obama then gave an example of how his daughter can be a free-thinker.
“When she was 4, 5, 6 years old, once she made a decision, she would dig in and couldn’t be steered off it. I write about it in the book, how we were trying to get her to taste caviar when we were visiting Russia,” he said, referencing his memoir, “A Promised Land.”
“She was like, ‘No. Sorry. That looks slimy. It’s nasty. I’m not going to do it — even if I’ve got to give up dessert.’ And that part of her character has always been there.”
In May 2023, Sasha graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in sociology, according to Essence.
In a 2019 interview with People, Michelle Obama recalled what it was like to drop Sasha off at school.
“Time just goes so fast,’’ she said. “But like so many experiences in the last 10 years, we wanted to make it feel as normal as possible, given our family’s circumstances.
“It was of course a little emotional to drop Sasha off at college,” she added. “It’s an adjustment to see each other for a weekend here, a holiday break there, but the moments we do spend together feel extra special because of it.”
For Sasha’s 22nd birthday, her parents both gave her sweet shout-outs online.
“Where does the time go? Happy birthday, Sasha!” Barack Obama wrote next to a throwback picture of him and his little girl together. “It’s been the greatest gift to watch you become such a confident, intelligent, and beautiful young woman. Can’t wait to see what this year ahead brings you.”
Michelle Obama wrote, “Happy birthday to my baby girl! Sasha, you bring so much light and joy to our lives — always have, always will. I’m so excited to see what this new year will bring you. Love you so much!”
