Malia Obama Faces 'Nepo Baby' Backlash After Receiving Mixed Reviews on Debut Film She Released Under a Different Name

Malia Obama may not be able to escape her parents’ shadow!

Last month at the Sundance Film Festival, former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s eldest daughter made her directorial debut with her short film, The Heart.

However, Malia chose to drop her last name when crediting herself for the 18-minute short she wrote and directed, which starred Tunde Adebimpe and Latonya Borsay. Instead, the former first daughter used the moniker Malia Anne.

After the release of the movie, the offspring of the famous politician received backlash regarding the movie itself and her choice to distance herself from her political family.

“Calling yourself ‘Malia Ann’ is not going to avert any Nepo Baby criticisms, Miss Former First Daughter,” one critic penned on the popular social movie platform Letterboxd, while another stated, “Wish this had enough merit to not just be ‘the short directed by one of Obama’s kids’ but this was just sort of mid. I did like some of the cinematography!” said another.

A third user expressed, “I can’t tell if I’m just being critical because Malia Obama wrote and directed this or if it was actually just meh.”

Despite the 2021 Harvard University alum — who graduated with a degree in Visual and Environmental Studies — facing negativity on the project, some thought it showed promise.

“Watched at Sundance Film Festival. Saw Malia Obama in a Q&A and she explained that she wanted to tell the story of the film as a fable. That grocery monologue in the street was incredible and I loved the lighting, whoever was the gaffer, you did a great job keep it up!” one individual raved.

A second gushed, “While initially distressing, this was a really touching film. Several genius subtle editing choices as well.”

As OK! previously reported, the hosts of The View recently debated Malia using a different name for the movie amid the controversial online commentary.

Whoopi Goldberg began the conversation by fiercely defending the 25-year-old’s choice.

“She knows she’s an Obama, why do you care?” Whoopi said on the Wednesday, February 20, episode of the talk show. “Why do you care what she calls herself? If she wanted to call herself Jeanette McDonald, she has the right to! If I can be Whoopi Goldberg, she can be whoever the h--- she wants to be!”

The EGOT winner likely felt so strongly on the subject since she changed her name from Caryn Elaine Johnson after entering the spotlight.

“I mean, why are people triggered by this kind of stuff? Why are people wasting their time?” she wondered.

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Co-hosts Joy Behar, Alyssa Farah Griffin and Sunny Hostin agreed with Whoopi on the subject.

Sunny even pointed out how it seemed unusual that the public wasn’t more supportive of the youngster, as the debate over “nepo babies” has been a big conversation in the media recently.