(TJV NEWS) Malia Obama, daughter of former President Barack Obama, is facing allegations of artistic plagiarism over a recent Nike commercial she directed — accusations that originated from independent filmmaker Natalie Jasmine Harris, Business Insider reported.

Harris, who wrote and directed the 2024 short film Grace, told Business Insider she was “shocked” by the similarities between a specific scene in her film and one featured in Obama’s Nike spot. In both, two young girls play a game of pat-a-cake — but according to Harris, the resemblance goes far beyond the game itself.

“It’s not about the game. It’s about the cinematic tools used to depict it,” Harris explained to Business Insider, pointing to the framing and camera angles in Obama’s commercial, which she believes closely mirror her own work.

Been sitting with this for a while. 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… pic.twitter.com/iy2N2krpQN

— Natalie Jasmine Harris (@nataliejharris) May 6, 2025

On May 5, Harris voiced her frustration in a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying: “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. If brands want a certain look, why not hire from the source instead of for name recognition?”

Harris also questioned Nike’s motivations, suggesting that Obama’s prominent last name — rather than her filmmaking credentials — may have influenced the brand’s decision to give her the directing opportunity.

Speaking again to Business Insider, Harris called the situation “devastating” and said it reflected a broader trend of companies prioritizing celebrity over substance. “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,” she said.

Harris added that she had previously met Malia Obama at the Sundance Film Festival in 2024, where Grace was screened, raising further questions for her about the overlap between the two works.

Nike has not publicly responded to the allegations, and as of now, neither has Malia Obama