Malia Obama Makes Her Red Carpet Debut at Sundance Film Festival

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

First daughter turned filmmaker Malia Obama has arrived at Sundance.

The elder child of former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama jumped into the world of show business upon graduating from Harvard University in 2022, and is now a writer and director with two major projects under her belt.

Malia Obama made her red carpet debut at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, on Thursday night, for the premiere of her short film The Heart. For the grand occasion, the 25-year-old looked cozy and casual in a light blue striped button-down, long gray wool coat, fuzzy gray scarf, and platform leather over-the-knee boots in a deep maroon. She wore her curly hair down, with small braids scattered throughout, and seemed to have on minimal makeup.

The Heart is Obama’s first film, developed with mentor Donald Glover’s production company, Gilga. She and the Atlanta creator and star also worked together on the 2023 Prime Video miniseries Swarm, a dark satire starring Dominique Fishback, Chloe Bailey, Damson Idris, Billie Eilish, Rory Culkin, and Paris Jackson.

“The first thing we did was talk about the fact that she will only get to do this once,” former Community star Glover, who releases music as Childish Gambino, told GQ last year. “You’re [Barack] Obama’s daughter. So if you make a bad film, it will follow you around.”

Glover also said in a 2022 interview with Vanity Fair that the former first daughter is “very down to earth, and cool,” so working with her is always a positive experience.

A fresh talent, Obama also cowrote Swarm’s fifth episode, “Girl, Bye,” with seasoned pro and series co-creator Janine Nabers. (She is credited as simply Malia Ann.)

“Some of her pitches were wild as hell, and they were just so good and so funny,” Nabers told Entertainment Tonight last year. “She’s an incredible writer. She brought a lot to the table … She’s really, really dedicated to her craft.”

“I feel like she’s just somebody who’s gonna have really good things coming soon,” Glover told Vanity Fair. “Her writing style is great.”

You Might Also Like

• 4 Investment-Worthy Skincare Finds From Sephora

• The 17 Best Retinol Creams Worth Adding to Your Skin Care Routine