Indie Filmmaker Accuses Malia Obama Of Ripping Off Her Film

Former president Barack Obama’s daughter Malia Obama has been accused by an independent filmmaker of copying some of her work.

New York University graduate Natalie Jasmine Harris took to social media to voice her concerns, claiming that Malia’s new commercial for Nike contains elements from Harris’ 2024 short film, “Grace.” She noted in her post that Malia, who uses the name Malia Ann professionally, was in attendance at Sundance during its premiere as she was showing her film there, “The Heart.”

“Been sitting with this for a while. My Sundance short film GRACE (shot brilliantly by Tehillah de Castro) was made with deep love and care. The social cut of the new @Nike commercial directed by Malia Obama (who was also at Sundance my year) feels shockingly similar to my work…” Harris wrote in an X post last week.

She continued, “I know art often overlaps, but moments like this hit hard when you’ve poured your heart into telling stories with care and barely get the recognition you deserve. If brands want a certain look, why not hire from the source instead of for name recognition?”

I know art often overlaps, but moments like this hit hard when you’ve poured your heart into telling stories with care and barely get the recognition you deserve. If brands want a certain look, why not hire from the source instead of for name recognition? @Nike @_ajawilson22 pic.twitter.com/Y57ACZiPRe

— Natalie Jasmine Harris (@nataliejharris) May 6, 2025

Malia directed the new Nike ad for WNBA star A’ja Wilson’s pink A’One signature shoe.

Harris posted a follow-up on Instagram the next day, echoing what she had said in her original X update and sharing more stills from both projects and a photo of her and Obama from Sundance last year.

“I don’t have much else to say, besides that this is quite disheartening and disappointing,” she wrote in the post caption. “I’m constantly posting about how difficult it is to be an emerging filmmaker right now and sustain myself without benefitting from family connections, generational wealth, or nepotism… and then to see this just really gives me even less hope that this industry wants me to be here.”

She also addressed those who had criticized her for making the comparisons in the first place.

“I just want to make it abundantly clear that this is not an issue about a game of Pat-A-Cake. It’s the framing, composition, editing, etc. Cinematic choices that are uncannily similar to the visual language in my short film. Before you are so quick to comment, please put your thinking caps on. Why would I say something that in turn probably does put my career at risk to try and say that I invented a hand game? Come on y’all….”