Whoopi Goldberg Defends Malia Obama’s New Stage Name

Whoopi Goldberg is showing her support for Malia Obama.

Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's oldest daughter raised some eyebrows when it was noted that she is choosing to drop her famous last name and professionally go by Malia Ann on her latest project The Heart.

"Apparently some folks online are criticizing her for it," the View host said during the Feb. 21 episode, "claiming everyone knows she's an Obama, so it's pointless to hide it."

But, as Whoopi noted, Malia is hardly the first person to change her name Hollywood. In fact, Whoopi herself changed her name from Caryn Elaine Johnson as her career took off.

"If she knows she's an Obama, why do you careคำพูดจาก ปั่นสล็อตแตกทุกเกม? Why do you care what she calls herself?" she continued. "If she wanted to call herself Jeanette MacDonald, she has the right to! If I can be Whoopi Goldberg, she can be whoever the hell she wants to be!"

photosMalia Obama and Sasha Obama Over the Years

And the Sister Act star certainly doesn't understand why it's such a BFD to some.

"I mean why are people triggered by this kind of stuff?" she said. "Why are people wasting their time?"

"Leave this child alone," Whoopi added. "Leave her alone."

And her cohosts agree. While Sara Haines noted that with the last name Obama, everything "probably harkens her parents," Alyssa Farah Griffin pointed out, the Harvard grad was truly in a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation. 

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

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Not that the 25-year-old is fazed. After all, her career is skyrocketing after her directorial debut The Heart premiered at Sundance and she added a staff writer credit on the Amazon Prime show Swarm to her resume.

And, according to show creator Donald Glover, parents didn't play a role in how she was treated on set. 

"I feel like she's just somebody who's gonna have really good things coming soon. Her writing style is great," Donald told Vanity Fair in March 2022. With his brother Stephen Glover adding, "We can't be easy on her just because she's the [former] President's daughter."

Keep reading for more stars who have opted to change their names.

photosView More Photos From Celebs' Real Names