Malia Obama’s new Nike ads are being called out by one independent filmmaker who thinks the former First Daughter copied elements from her 2024 Sundance short.
Nike tapped Malia, who goes professionally by Malia Ann, to direct two commercials for A’ja Wilson’s debut A’One sneaker. But soon after the ads dropped on May 3, filmmaker and NYU alum Natalie Jasmine Harris took to X to point out what she believes are striking similarities between Malia’s work and her own Sundance short film GRACE.
Harris made sure to note that Malia also made her Sundance debut last year with the film The Heart.
“Been sitting with this for a while,” Harris wrote, alongside stills from her and Malia’s projects. “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 ended her statement with a suggestion for Nike to consider giving opportunities to the independent filmmakers they may have drawn inspiration from, rather than prioritizing higher-profile names.
“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,” she wrote. “If brands want a certain look, why not hire from the source instead of for name recognition?”
Malia’s latest work adds to her growing resume, which now includes a Sundance short film, writing credits on Donald Glover’s Swarm, and a pair of Nike commercials. The A’ja Wilson ads honor the WNBA MVP’s upbringing, creatively pairing lyrics about Wilson’s childhood with the melody of the classic nursery rhyme “Miss Mary Mack.”
The ads are filled with subtle tributes to Wilson’s roots in Columbia, South Carolina, and her basketball journey, featuring scenes shot around her hometown. Cameos include her parents, South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley, who once had her own signature Nike shoe, a group of dancing Benedict College cheerleaders, and a scene inside Saint John Baptist Church, Wilson’s childhood church.
A third commercial, titled “A’One from Day One,” is set to debut on Friday, May 9, spotlighting interviews with residents of Columbia.
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