Hollywood newcomer Malia Ann is taking a risk by taking off the Obama last name and assuming the spotlight on her own terms.

The oldest child of Barack and Michelle Obama, Malia Ann (previously known as Malia Obama) is gaining attention for her current film effort, “The Heart.” She decided to embrace her middle name as a way to start over and shed the baggage of her well-known parents.

Malia’s new persona was revealed at the esteemed 2024 Sundance picture Festival, when the 25-year-old director made her feature picture debut. It was during the “The Heart” red carpet premiere when Malia Ann made her formal Hollywood debut as a unique creative force.

The Obama power couple’s absence from the Sundance Film Festival is an interesting development. Despite their successful foray into the entertainment business with “Higher Ground Productions,” the Obamas chose to give Malia Ann her own space to flourish.

A glimpse inside “The Heart” was given by Malia Ann during the Sundance spotlight, who described it as “a strange little story, kind of a fable, about a man heartbroken on the death of his mother after she leaves him an unusual request in her will.”

Produced by Donald Glover’s business Gilga, “The Heart” demonstrates Malia’s versatility as a director in addition to her skill as a filmmaker. Before taking over as director, Malia gained experience as a staff writer on Glover’s Amazon Prime series “Swarm.”

Malia has received a ton of acclaim from coworkers and business professionals. In a January 2023 Vanity Fair interview, co-creator of “Swarm,” Janine Nabers, praised her professionalism, saying that “she’s a very professional person,” according to E News. Nabers extended her praise, calling Malia “an incredible writer and artist,” highlighting her many talents.

Even the seasoned artist Donald Glover acknowledged Malia’s ability, emphasizing that her well-known ancestry had no bearing on how she was treated on set. He gave Malia hope for the future when he said, “I feel like she’s somebody who’s gonna have really good things coming soon,” in an interview with Vanity Fair in March 2022. She writes with such style. Because she happens to be the daughter of a former president, we cannot relax our standards.”

The story of Malia Ann’s Hollywood career is one of self-awareness and artistic freedom. The focus is squarely on her distinct identity as she makes her way in the profession, indicating that she has many more artistic triumphs ahead of her.