Michelle Obama recently shared a surprisingly relatable detail about her daughter, Malia Obama, during an episode of IMO, the podcast she co-hosts with her brother, Craig Robinson. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg joined the conversation to discuss family, Hollywood, and raising children in the public eye. During the episode, Spielberg revealed that he had invited Barack Obama to visit the set of his upcoming science-fiction movie—marking the former president’s first time stepping onto a movie set.

But the conversation took an amusing turn when Spielberg mentioned Malia, who has been quietly building a career of her own in filmmaking. According to Michelle, despite her parents’ enormous experience and connections in the entertainment world, Malia has never invited them to see her work. Spielberg jokingly told Michelle that he felt bad for “scooping” her daughter by bringing Barack onto a film set.

Michelle’s response was both funny and something many parents can understand. She explained that Malia simply doesn’t want her famous parents around her professional projects, preferring to have her own space and identity. Now 28, Malia has written for Donald Glover’s Swarm and directed the 2023 short film The Heart. 🎬

Malia has also chosen to work professionally as Malia Ann, rather than using the Obama surname, as she builds her career on her own terms. For Michelle and Barack, that appears to mean respecting their daughter’s boundaries—even when they would probably love to see what she’s creating. ❤️ Sometimes, being a parent means knowing when to step back and let your child have something that belongs entirely to them.