So, it’s 2026, and if you’re like most people, you probably still have those images burned into your brain of two little girls with bows in their hair standing on a stage in Chicago. It’s wild how time works. One minute they’re chasing a Portuguese Water Dog around the South Lawn, and the next, they’re full-blown adults living in Los Angeles, building careers that have almost nothing to do with politics.
If you’re trying to remember the specifics, let's get the basics out of the way. The name of Obama's daughters are Malia and Sasha.
But even that is a bit of a simplification. Honestly, if you ran into them at a coffee shop in Silver Lake today, you might not even hear them called that. Malia has started using a professional "stage name" of sorts to distance herself from the White House shadow, and "Sasha" isn't actually the name on her birth certificate.
Malia Ann: Breaking Away from the "Obama" Label
Malia is the oldest. She was born on July 4, 1998—a literal fireworks baby—which makes her 27 years old now. After graduating from Harvard in 2021, she didn't head for a law firm or a think tank. Instead, she went straight into the "family business" of storytelling, but from the technical side.
Lately, the big talk in Hollywood circles is how she’s handling her credits. She’s been going by Malia Ann (Ann is her middle name). You’ve probably seen her name pop up if you watched the Amazon series Swarm. She was a staff writer there, and Donald Glover (Childish Gambino) has been pretty vocal about how "amazingly talented" and "focused" she is. He basically told the press that she wasn't getting any special treatment—she was just putting in the work.
In early 2024, she took a massive leap and debuted her short film, The Heart, at the Sundance Film Festival. It’s a moody, quiet piece about a grieving son and a weird request in a will. She’s not just a "producer" in name only; she’s actually directing and writing. More recently, in 2025, she even directed some high-profile commercials for Nike.
Sasha Obama: The Girl Known as Natasha
Then there’s the younger sister. Born June 10, 2001, in Chicago, she is currently 24. While the world knows her as Sasha, her real name is actually Natasha Marian Obama. "Sasha" is just a nickname that stuck so hard it became her global identity.
Sasha’s path has been a bit more low-key than Malia’s, but she’s just as much of a Los Angeles fixture now. She started her college journey at the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) but eventually transferred to the University of Southern California (USC). She graduated in 2023 with a degree in sociology.
Interestingly, Sasha also seems to be dipping her toes into the entertainment world. In mid-2024, eagle-eyed fans noticed the name "Natasha Obama" appearing in the credits for the Showtime series Couples Therapy as a casting interviewer. It looks like she’s interested in the "human" side of production—finding the stories and the people rather than necessarily sitting in a director’s chair like her sister.
Living the "Normal" Life in LA
Since 2022, the sisters have been roommates in Los Angeles. Michelle Obama has joked on podcasts about how they used to invite their parents over for drinks, but the "martinis" they served were a little weak and they were very protective of their coasters.
It’s actually kinda refreshing. You’d expect the "First Daughters" to be constants on the gala circuit, but they’re mostly spotted by paparazzi just living life—hitting the gym, grabbing smoothies, or hanging out at various West Coast spots. They’ve managed to do the impossible: grow up in the most famous house in the world and come out the other side appearing relatively grounded.
- Malia Ann Obama: Born 1998, Harvard grad, filmmaker/writer.
- Natasha "Sasha" Obama: Born 2001, USC grad, sociology background, emerging in casting/media.
How to Follow Their Careers
If you're looking for their "official" social media, you’re mostly out of luck. They keep their accounts private (or "finsta" style) to avoid the inevitable chaos of the comment sections. However, you can keep an eye on:
- Film Credits: Look for "Malia Ann" on IMDb for upcoming indie projects.
- Higher Ground Productions: While this is their parents' company, the sisters often collaborate or consult on projects under the Netflix deal.
- The Obama Presidential Center: As this opens in Chicago throughout 2026, expect both daughters to have a quiet but significant presence in the programming related to young creators.
The most important takeaway here is that they aren't "First Daughters" anymore. They're Malia and Sasha (or Natasha), and they seem perfectly happy letting their work—and not their last name—do the talking.
