Michelle Obama reveals what she really thinks after daughter Malia changes name

Michelle Obama has revealed what she really thinks after her daughter Malia opted to change her name as she released her first film project.

When Michelle was the first lady, it was pretty difficult to garner a true understanding of the family life of the Obamas.

But since the 44th POTUS left the White House in early 2017, Michelle in particular has spoken out about what life was like before, during and after the family's stint in Washington DC.

And a lot has changed since the Obamas left the Oval Office some eight years ago, including their daughter Malia recently dropping the famed surname.

Malia, 26, used her middle name, Ann, as her last name for the credits of The Heart, a short film she wrote and directed.

Michelle and Malia pictured in 2017 (NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images)

Michelle has since spoken out after this name change became public knowledge, telling actors Kate and Oliver Hudson in an episode of their Sibling Revelry podcast: "Our daughters [Malia and Sasha] are 26 and 23. They are young adult women, but they definitely went through a period in their teen years where it was the push away ... [where] you're trying to distinguish yourself.

"I mean, 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, that they're just naturally, just handed things. They're very sensitive to that, they want to be their own people."

The former first lady added: "Malia, who started in film, I mean, her first project - she took off her last name, and we were like, they're still going to know it's you, Malia. But we respected the fact that she's trying to make her way."

Michelle's two children grew up in the White House environment, with Michelle admitting they didn't really understand their parents' positions back then.

Malia has changed her name (Foc Kan/WireImage)

But now they are all grown up, that has all changed.

Michelle added: "As they're older, I think they are embracing our parenting principles. They have a clearer understanding of why we did a lot of what we did.

"They understand us as full human beings now, in the same way that I think I discovered that about my parents when I went away to college."

Barack Obama has also touched on his daughter's name change, speaking on The Pivot Podcast of Malia's success in film.

"[Malia's] first film went to Sundance and all these fancy film festivals, and she didn't use Obama as director on the credits," the former president told host Ryan Clark.

"She's all like, 'You know what? I want them to watch it that first time and not in any way have that association [with the Obama name].' So I think our daughters go out of their way to not try to leverage that."