As Malia Obama celebrated her 28th birthday on Saturday, July 4, her parents, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, marked the special occasion with heartfelt messages and rare glimpses into their family’s private moments.
Both Barack and Michelle shared emotional tributes on social media, celebrating their eldest daughter’s journey from growing up in the White House to building a successful career as a filmmaker in Hollywood.
Barack Obama Shares Sweet Throwback and New Family Photo
Barack Obama honored Malia’s birthday by posting two meaningful photos that highlighted their close father-daughter bond. One image captured a young Barack reading the beloved children’s book “Goodnight Moon” to Malia when she was a baby.
The second showed a more recent moment of Malia wrapping her arms around her father as he sat in a chair. Alongside the photos, the former president reflected on how quickly time has passed. “Happy Birthday, Malia! Don’t know where the time goes, but the joy of having you as a daughter never gets old.”
Michelle Obama Shares Behind-the-Scenes Birthday Video
Michelle Obama also celebrated her daughter’s milestone birthday by posting a candid Instagram video set to Stevie Wonder’s rendition of “Happy Birthday.” The behind-the-scenes clip featured Michelle wearing a pink bucket hat as she smiled alongside Malia and younger daughter Sasha Obama during a casual family moment.
Michelle paired the video with a heartfelt birthday message praising the woman Malia has become. “Happy birthday, Malia! You bring so much light and energy into the world with everything you do. Your dad and I are so proud of the woman you’ve become. ❤️”
Malia Obama Has Built a Career Behind the Camera
While many first came to know Malia Obama during her father’s presidency, the Harvard graduate has carved out a career in the entertainment industry under the professional name Malia Ann.
After graduating from Harvard University in 2021, she pursued filmmaking in Los Angeles as a writer and director. She served as a writer on the 2023 Swarm and made her directorial debut with the short film “The Heart,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2024.
© Barry BrecheisenObama Family Recently Reunited at Presidential Center Opening
Just weeks before Malia’s birthday, she and Sasha made a rare public appearance alongside their parents at the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago on June 18. The event brought together the Obama family for one of their most high-profile appearances in recent years, as they celebrated the landmark project honoring Barack Obama’s presidency.
Malia and Sasha spent much of their childhood in the national spotlight after Barack Obama was elected president in 2008. Malia was 10 years old, and Sasha was 7 when they entered the White House. By the time the Obama family left Washington in 2017, the sisters had grown into young adults.
© Getty ImagesAhead of the presidential center’s opening, Barack Obama spoke proudly about both of his daughters during an exclusive interview with PEOPLE. “They are cooler, smarter, funnier… Those two, Malia and Sasha, are all that.”
He also joked about how impressive they have become as adults. “If I were their age… I can barely keep up with them at the dinner table now, if I was their contemporary, I would just sit there.”
© Backgrid/The Grosby GroupMichelle Obama echoed that admiration while reflecting on her daughters’ generation. “As my mom would say about us, and I have to say this about Malia and Sasha, as wonderful as they are, they just reflect back what their generation has to offer,” the author said.
She continued: “There are millions of amazing young people like our girls, and we see them every day.”
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