Malia Obama Set For Another Major Milestone In Film Career After Writing Gig

Malia Obama is reaching another milestone in her writing career.

The daughter of former US President Barack Obama has been making waves in the film industry since her internship at the Weinstein Company and on Lena Dunham's show "Girls." Now she is set to have her major deal under the tutelage of veteran actor Donald Glover.

Notwithstanding her impressive resume in the entertainment world, the 24-year-old's first major TV project was working on Glover's Amazon Prime Video series "Swarm." After a successful run with the show, the budding entertainer is preparing to flex her incredible writing skills by creating her project — a short film.

It will be released under the newly launched production company Gilga owned by the "Atlanta" star. The 39-year-old revealed some details on the upcoming venture in an interview with GQ, sharing details of his early conversation with Malia.

In the article, the Golden Globe winner shared that he emphasized the significance of the opportunity and the potential consequences of producing a subpar piece. "The first thing we did was talk about the fact that she will only get to do this once," he stated, adding:

"You're Obama's daughter. So if you make a bad film, it will follow you around."

According to Fam Udeorji, Glover's creative partner at Gilga, comprehending the Harvard graduate's influence is significant. However, they also prioritized allowing her to create what she desired, even if it took a while. 

The company's objective is not just about representation but also about diverse perspectives; as Udeorji puts it, "It's more about the diversity of thought than just, like, diversity for optics. You know what I mean?"

The young celebrity made her first step into the entertainment industry as a TV writer with the successful co-writing of the thrilling episode "Girl Bye" on the series "Swarm." The Blast noted that the show's star-studded cast and the gripping plot had generated significant buzz in the entertainment industry.

The thriller series also features an impressive cast of Dominique Fishback, Chloe Bailey, and singer Billie Eilish in her acting debut as cult leader Eva. Although it is her first significant television writing gig, she has already earned praise from seasoned professionals in the industry.

Donald Glover and Janine Nabers praised Malia's writing skills, calling her "incredibly talented." She impressed them so much that the playwright raved to ET, saying:

"Some of her pitches were wild as hell, and they were just so good and so funny," adding, "She's an incredible writer. She brought a lot to the table … She's really, really dedicated to her craft."

Together with Nabers, she co-wrote the crucial episode titled "Girl, Bye," which furthers the show's plot revolving around Dre, a young woman fixated on a fictional R&B celebrity that bears a striking resemblance to Beyoncé.

The "Serial Black Face" writer teased that it would be a thrilling surprise for viewers and described it as "one of the wildest episodes." She noted, "It's going to surprise a lot of people. It's pretty dope. I'm proud of it."

Glover also spoke highly of Malia's talent last year in an interview with Vanity Fair, calling her an "amazingly talented person." The "Community" actor praised her work ethic: "She's focused and working hard."

Glover also expressed confidence in her future, saying, "I feel like she's just somebody who's gonna have perfect things coming soon," and described her writing style as "great."

Nabers expressed similar sentiments, highlighting how the young adult became integral to the Swarm family during her time on set. "It was like a family," the television writer noted, adding, "I'm excited for everyone to get to know her work and the work of the writers on a show." 

Malia's involvement was recognized by the showrunners and the cast, like Fishback and Bailey, who were thrilled to have worked with her and praised her contributions to the show.