How The Obama Sisters Have Transformed Since Leaving The White House
The world hasn't seen a whole lot of former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama's children since the family left the White House in 2017. Sasha Obama and Malia Obama grew up before our eyes as young children navigating childhood inside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but the two have really come into their own in the years that followed.
That privacy the Obama girls have mostly enjoyed has been very much intentional, too. Michelle has admitted that she doesn't speak quite so much about her girls publicly because they don't want to be in the spotlight in the way they were during their dad's presidency. "I'm trying to protect the privacy of my girls," Michelle explained during an interview with People en Español in 2022. "You have to pull back on how much you share about their lives and how much you put them back out in the public eye because they're not looking for the attention," she added. But what exactly have the Obama sisters been up to since leaving the White House and what are they like today? Well, it turns out they've undergone quite the transformations.
Sasha Obama got at least one tattoo
For many young people, being able to legally get a tattoo is one of the most exciting parts of stepping into adulthood. It seems Sasha Obama is no exception. The younger Obama sister showed off her ink in candid photos shared by Daily Mail in October 2022, revealing she had a hot air balloon design etched onto the back of her upper left arm. Though Sasha herself hasn't spoken publicly about why she opted for that specific design, hot air balloon (and balloons in general) tattoos can have some touching meanings. Much like wave tattoos, they can symbolize freedom, a desire to visit new places, and peace.
Sasha's ink may have come as a surprise to some, as her mom has been open about the fact that she used to actively encouraged her children not to get tattoos. Michelle joked during an appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" in 2022 that she would tell the girls that whatever designs they got, she and Barack would get the same. "Take the cool all away. Barack Obama is going to have a heart on his shoulder," she quipped. But Michelle also seemed to suggest those days were long gone, and she didn't want to limit her daughters' ability to express themselves with their own bodies.
The Obama sisters have introduced their parents to their boyfriends
Another way Sasha Obama and Malia Obama have grown up since leaving the White House? They both have partners! And, not only that, things have been so serious with their partners, that they've apparently met the family. During a 2022 appearance on the now defunct "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," Michelle reflected on how much her girls have changed since they were in The White House. "They loved the Jonas Brothers. Now they are bringing grown men home," she joked. "Before it was just, like, pop bands. Now they have boyfriends and real lives."
That same month, Daily Mail reported that Sasha had recently started dating Clifton Powell Jr., the son of actor Clifton Powell. The following July, Sasha was snapped with her man and her sister during a Fourth of July party alongside actor and comedian Kevin Tate, who posted the photo on Instagram. Clearly, there's no sibling/partner drama here.
As for Malia, she seemingly had a serious boyfriend before her sister. Daily Mail claimed she had been seeing Brit Rory Farquharson since 2017, whom she met while attending Harvard. However, it seems that romance didn't last. Malia has since been spotted with Dawit Eklund, a DJ. In September 2022, Daily Mail shared candid photos of the pair walking around New York City together, sparking speculation the two were a couple, and that Eklund may have met Malia's famous parents during the trip as they were in the city at the same time.
Both sisters have been spotted smoking
Both Malia Obama and Sasha Obama have picked up a habit we're guessing their parents probably wish they hadn't. Smoking. Proving they really are all grown up now, both have been snapped by paparazzi puffing away. In photos published by Daily Mail in September 2023, Sasha can be seen with a cigarette in her mouth as she drives to a spa. The following month, it was Malia's turn to be snapped while puffing away, as Daily Mail published candid photos of her smoking while speaking to a friend in a parking lot.
We know the habit (despite its serious side effects, including crepey skin) runs in the Obama family, as Barack was once a smoker. He said in 2009 he'd occasionally puff on a cigarette, but didn't smoke in front of his family. "I would say that I am 95 percent cured, but there are times where I mess up," he explained (via CBS News). Michelle Obama then told reporters (via The Guardian) in 2011 that her husband had kicked the habit and had been free of cigarettes for around a year. However, Barack later admitted in his 2020 book, "A Promised Land," he smoked a little more than he let on in the White House, sometimes puffing nine cigarettes a day (via CNN). Somewhat ironically now, he also claimed he learned to stop after Malia smelled smoke on him and made it clear she wasn't happy about it.
Malia and Sasha Obama are doing their bit for activism
As you might expect with parents that are such forces for change, Malia Obama and Sasha Obama both have an interest in activism. Barack Obama opened up about how his daughters are doing their bit to change the world while speaking to Anderson Cooper on CNN in 2021. During the interview, he explained they support the Black Lives Matter movement and had attended marches to show their support. "What I find interesting is they're also starting to be very strategic about how to engage the system and change it. They're not just interested in making noise, they're interested in what works," Barack shared of his daughters and their peers.
He also spoke about conversations he had with Sasha and Malia about cancel culture, in which they'd told him they didn't believe everyone should be 100% politically correct all the time. However, they did make a point of letting him know they would be doing their part to fight back against companies and people who discriminate.
Barack previously opened up about the two taking part in marches while speaking to People the year prior, noting they did it privately and completely off their own backs. "They didn't do it in a way where they were looking for limelight. They were very much in organizer mode," he said. "I could not have been prouder of them."
Malia Obama's incredible height has caught the world's attention
It's not just via her personality where it's evident just how much Malia Obama has transformed since leaving the White House. She's quite literally grown up over the past few years, as she's gotten super tall. That was no more evident to us than in January 2024, when the elder Obama sister made a rare public appearance and had fans all over the world commenting on her height. The star was actually appearing on the red carpet for the Sundance Film Festival and was snapped alongside producer Ayesha Nadarajah. Malia's impressive height was on full display while she posed for photographers, as Nadarajah's head was barely level with Malia's shoulder.
So, how tall is Malia? Well, in September 2023, Daily Mail shared candid photos of the former first daughter out and about in New York where she towered over some of her friends, and estimated her height was 5'11". That makes her a good few inches taller than the average American woman, who, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stands at 5'4". We're guessing Malia doesn't need our advice when it comes to dressing to look taller.
Celebrity parties have been calling their names
It's pretty understandable as members of the most important family in the U.S. for eight years that Malia Obama and Sasha Obama would have made a few famous friends. We already know that Sasha has been fraternizing with people in the public eye while dating Clifton Powell's son, but that's not the only time the Obama sisters have partied with a celebrity or two.
In August 2023, Malia and Sasha were spotted enjoying a party in West Hollywood at The Bird Streets Club. Daily Mail shared candid photos of the pair looking super stylish as they hit the club. The outlet claimed the celebration was actually a VIP afterparty hosted by none other than chart-topping Canadian rapper Drake; who had a gig with 21 Savage that evening. The sisters were in for a late night as they apparently didn't even up leaving until 4 a.m.
Later that year, the famous sisters were living it up with the rich and famous again when they attended a "Saturday Night Live" after-party in New York City. According to Page Six, the duo were in the presence of the likes of Emma Stone, who also attended the event at the prestigious L'Avenue at Saks.
The sisters moved in together... and had their parents over for cocktails!
It's normal for siblings to drift apart a little after leaving the parental home, but that wasn't the case for Malia Obama and Sasha Obama. In fact, even though they attended college in different states, the sisters found themselves back together in California.
Following a few years of studying at University of Michigan, Sasha ended up transferring to the University of Southern California to complete her final college year, putting her closer to her sister, who moved to LA after graduating from Harvard in 2021. In fact, they were roommates.
Michelle Obama told People in 2022 the two had moved in together, revealing her reaction was, "Okay, well that's interesting that you guys are going to try living together. We'll see how it goes." But, jokes aside, Michelle admitted that she was happy to see her children getting along so well. She told People that same month that she'd been over to see her girls' place, which she described as a pleasant visit that included sipping on martinis. "To see them in that place where they're one another's support systems and they've got each other's backs, is just — it's the thing that a mother would want," the former First Lady gushed.
Sasha Obama has tried her hand at TikTok
Just like, well, almost every other Gen Z person, Sasha Obama has tried her hand at filming herself and posting it to TikTok. The former first daughter showed off her musical skills in a clip shared to the social media site in 2020, in which she and a friend rapped along with the song "Said Sum" by Moneybagg. The former First Daughter showed off her enviable style in the video too, as she rocked a brown jacket over an embellished black top that showed off her midriff (crop tops are still super on-trend, after all). Sasha also sported several necklaces and rings on her hands.
But while there's absolutely nothing wrong with Malia having a little fun with her friends and posting it online, after fans started to recognize her, the video was removed from the social media account. It's not clear if the TikTok account that originally uploaded the clip belonged to her or someone else, though it was uploaded under the pseudonym @Cakethatsmg.
Both sisters are officially college graduates
Just like their famous parents, Malia Obama and Sasha Obama are college graduates, proving their post-White House transformations included a whole lot of hard work. Malia was the first of the sisters to don a mortarboard, as she graduated from the Ivy League Harvard in May 2021 with a degree in Visual and Environmental Studies.
As for Sasha, she graduated from the University of Southern California in May 2023 after transferring from the University of Michigan. Her graduation ceremony was a little more public than her sister's. Daily Mail shared candid photos from the ceremony, which depicted the younger Obama daughter looking super glamorous and grown-up while celebrating the big milestone with her fellow classmates. Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and Malia were all also pictured attending the event to support the young graduate as she collected her Bachelor's certificate in Sociology.
Malia Obama got a new stage name and profession
Following her graduation, Malia Obama put her college degree to good use — under a new pseudonym. She adopted the stage name 'Malia Ann' and made her move into the arts world by writing for the Prime Video show "Swarm." The Harvard alumnus co-wrote for an episode called, "Girl, Bye" which received favorable reviews from numerous publications and fans. It sounds like Malia Ann seriously impressed her co-workers, too. Dominique Fishback, who stars in the series, shared with E! News how much she bonded over the former first daughter. "I think she's so intelligent. She's so cool. I just want to know what she wants to do next. Maybe we can do something together," she told the publication.
But that wasn't all. Malia then went one step further and actually created her own debut short film, titled "The Heart," which she supported at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in January 2024. The film produced by Donald Glover, went on to earn a slew of recognition, including a nomination for Best Short Film. It was also nominated for the IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Film at the Toronto Film Festival and Best Narrative Short at the Chicago International Film Festival. At the latter, the movie actually won for Best Live Action Short, proving Malia certainly has a bright future in film ahead of her.