It is very important for my kids to feel like they’ve earned what they are getting in the world, and they don’t want people to assume that they don’t work hard.”

Michelle Obama is breaking her silence on eldest daughter Malia Obama's decision to drop her last name. Malia Ann, who is pursuing a film career in Hollywood, used her middle name as her artistic name for the credits of short film "The Heart" which she wrote and directed,

As Malia Obama tries to chart her path as a burgeoning screenwriter and director, she’s made the decision to drop her last name and use the stage name “Malia Ann” for professional matters. In fact, when her short film The Heart premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last January,