Posts
Malia Obama, daughter of Barack Hussein Obama and Michelle Obama, just stepped into a mess with her first crack at directing a Nike ad that’s got indie filmmaker Natalie Jasmine Harris, 27, crying foul. Harris says the one-minute spot rips off her 2024 short film Grace, pointing to scenes that look “shockingly similar.”
The smoking gun? A scene with two young Black girls playing pat-a-cake. Harris swears she did it first, way before Malia’s ad hit screens.
Look, let's be real. I thought Harris might be chasing clout, throwing shade at a big name for a quick 15 minutes. But then I saw the side-by-side.
Harris dropped the receipts on X:
"This is my indie short film, 'Grace,' next to Malia Obama's
@Nike x @_ajawilson22 commercial. It's devastating, but at least you can (hopefully) see that this is about much more than just pat-a-cake.... pic.twitter.com/71m0H5n84z" — Natalie Jasmine Harris (@nataliejharris) May 12, 2025
Guys, it’s not close. It’s identical. Camera angles, framing, color palette—the whole cinematic toolbox. Harris told Business Insider, “It’s not about the game. It’s about the cinematic tools used to depict it.”
She’s not wrong.
Harris isn’t just venting; she’s calling out the industry’s dirty little habit of snubbing scrappy indie artists for shiny names. “I know art often overlaps,” she posted on X, “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.”
She doubled down: “It’s devastating,” alongside that damning side-by-side. But she’s clear—she’s not gunning for Malia personally. It’s the system. “It speaks to a larger issue of brands not supporting independent artists and opting for folks who already have name recognition, which doesn’t breed innovative films or original storytelling,” Harris said.
Here’s the kicker: Malia can’t claim she didn’t know. Per the New York Post, she and Harris crossed paths at Sundance 2024, where both had films in the mix. Harris showed her 14-minute Grace, while Malia strutted the red carpet, conveniently ditching her last name to dodge the “nepo baby” label. Cute move, but it isn’t working now.
Now, let’s talk family business. Plagiarism seems to be the Obama brand. Barack got caught red-handed back in ’08, lifting lines from Deval Patrick’s 2006 speech. Patrick said:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”—just words. Just words. “We have nothing to fear but fear itself”—just words. “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”—just words. “I have a dream”—just words.
Obama’s 2008 remix?
“Don’t tell me words don’t matter! ‘I have a dream.’ Just words. ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’ Just words. ‘We have nothing to fear but fear itself.’ Just words, just speeches.”
Word-for-word. The media yawned, and Barack skated. Bet Malia gets the same VIP pass.
Will the press touch this? Don’t hold your breath. They’ll bury it faster than you can say “legacy media.” But we’re not here to play gatekeeper. The truth deserves air. If you’re sick of the cover-ups, join PJ Media VIP with code FIGHT for 60% off. We dig into stories like Malia’s mess without fear or favor. Support journalism that doesn’t bow to power.
If you enjoy my blog, feel free to toss a virtual coffee my way on Buy Me a Coffee – it’s like a high-five with caffeine, and coffee keeps me focused. No pressure, it's your call.
