Barack Obama made efforts to keep his kids away from the spotlight
In July 2008, during the campaign trail, Michelle and Barack Obama decided to do an interview with *Access Hollywood*, bringing along Malia and Sasha, who were 10 and 7 at the time. The girls charmed viewers with their answers and adorable presence. While the Obamas likely expected some interest in their daughters, they were surprised by the overwhelming attention the interview received. Barack later considered the decision a mistake, and the family never did another interview together after that, as reported by *Today* in 2008. He reflected, “I think that we got carried away in the moment. … I was surprised by the attention it received.” After that experience, Barack and Michelle worked hard to keep their daughters’ lives as private as possible.
From an early age, Malia showed she was a hard worker. While attending high school at Sidwell Friends School, she interned at television studios in New York and Los Angeles, hinting at an interest in the entertainment industry. One of her internships was on the set of the Halle Berry-led miniseries *Extant*, where she worked as a production assistant, a role that often involves menial tasks. Berry praised Malia’s work ethic, saying, “She was down to do whatever a PA is asked to do, and I had wild respect for her for that,” in an interview with Andy Cohen in 2017. Such high praise indeed!
Malia has started her career as a TV writer
In 2015, Malia Obama spent the summer interning at HBO, which included working on the set of *Girls* with the show’s writers. Her performance impressed many, including Lena Dunham, the show’s creator and lead actor, who praised Malia’s intelligence on SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Dunham recalled asking Malia about her favorite movie, to which she responded, “Well, do you want me to list by my favorite director, actor, or cinematographer?” Dunham joked, “You are smarter than me, let’s just be done with that.” The show’s staff said they were teaching Malia the tasks typically handled by a writer’s assistant.
In 2015, Malia Obama interned at HBO and spent some time on the set of Girls. She got to work with the show’s writers and really impressed them. Lena Dunham, who created and starred in the show, said Malia was super smart. She even told a funny story on the radio about asking Malia her favorite movie, and Malia replied with, “Do you want me to list my favorite director, actor, or cinematographer?” Lena joked that Malia was smarter than her. The Girls team showed Malia the ropes of what a writer’s assistant does.