Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama have made headlines in recent months due to persistent rumors about the health of their marriage, but now it is their eldest daughter who is in the news for all the wrong reasons.
As the Daily Caller reports, Malia Obama is now the target of claims from an independent filmmaker who contends that a Nike commercial crafted by the famous former first daughter is suspiciously similar to a piece of her own creation.
At issue are assertions from Natalie Jasmine Harris in which she suggests that Malia Obama lifted notable scenes and stylistic themes from Grace, a short film she released in 2024.
According to Harris, those elements appeared in a Nike ad directed by Ms. Obama, which was released just this month, leading her to cry foul.
Harris took to X to articulate the reasons for her frustration, stating, “My Sundance short film GRACE (shot brilliantly by Tehillah de Castro) was made with deep loved and care. The social cut of the new @Nike commercial directed by Malia Obama (who was also at Sundance my year) feels shockingly similar to my work....”
She went on, “I know art often overlaps, but moments like this hit hard when you've poured your heart into telling stories with care and barely get the recognition you deserve. If brands want a certain look, why not hire from the source instead of for name recognition?”
Harris' specific complaint has to do with a scene in which two Black girls are engaged in a round of pat-a-cake, as the New York Post notes.
Speaking to Business Insider about the comparison, Harris declared, “It's not about the game. It's about the cinematic tools used to depict it.”
The aspiring filmmaker went on to suggest that the camera angles, shot framing, and even the color palettes in the two pieces were startlingly analogous, posting a side-by-side visual comparison and adding, “It's devastating.”
According to Harris, the entire episode points to an industry-wide dilemma, of which young talents such as herself tend to bear the brunt.
“It speaks to a larger issue of brands not supporting independent artists and opting for folks who already have name recognition, which doesn't breed innovative films or original storytelling,” Harris lamented.
Malia Obama, while remaining largely behind-the-scenes as she continues to build a career in the film industry, drew attention last year when she attended the Deauville American Film Festival in France to present her directorial debut The Heart, as People noted at the time.
It was noted at the time that Ms. Obama's film was released under the name “Malia Ann,” a move the budding director made in order to thwart suggestions that her ability to present her work at such a prestigious festival had anything to do with her familial connections.
However, if Harris' claims have any truth to them, it seems as though the nepotism ship, at least in terms of Nike's eagerness to associate with the Obamas, has already sailed.
