Netflix's 'Becoming': Tearful Malia Obama tells Michelle 'those 8 years weren't for nothing' during book tour
Barack Obama and wife Michelle ensured that the spotlight that followed them during their eight years in the Oval Office shone less brightly on daughters Malia and Sasha, both of whom recently spoke up for Netflix's 'Becoming'.
The documentary focuses primarily on the former First Lady during her most high-profile post-White House project -- her best-selling memoir that inspired its name and which saw Michelle go on a countrywide tour promoting it.
It also highlighted her community activism empowering girls and young women and featured plenty of her family, including Michelle's mom Marian Robinson, her brother Craig Robinson, and of course, husband Barack.
It also featured rare footage of her daughters Malia and Sasha, who are now both studying in college.
Malia, 21, is currently finishing up at Harvard University, where she enrolled in 2017 and can be seen visiting her mom backstage after a stop on her mother's book tour.
"You're so good, I love you too much," she tells Michelle, before adding, "I cried again."
When Michelle asks her why she's always crying, Malia gets emotional and responds, "It's always so ... This has demonstrated in a way — it’s just like, damn, those eight years weren’t for nothing. You know?"
"You see that huge crowd out there and that last kind of speech you gave about — people are here because people really believe in hope and hope in other people," she continues.
"And also every time you guys play Stevie Wonder, I don’t know, I cry a little bit," she adds with a smile and a small eye-roll.
Malia and younger sister Sasha also appear late in the documentary via brief on-camera comment that was reportedly recorded in 2018 for a video shown at their mom's book tour events.
"I’m excited for her to be proud of what she’s done ‘cause I think that’s the most important thing for a human to do is be proud of themselves," Sasha says in the clip.
"No longer facing that same scrutiny, being able to let all of that leave your mind, creates so much more space," Malia shares.
Michelle also addresses her relationship with her daughters in the documentary, which is set to premiere on Netflix on Wednesday, May 6.
"Barack and I are empty-nesters, and that has been exhilarating: to watch the two little beans you were in charge of growing up," she says.
The former First Lady had recently revealed that Malia and Sasha were both back home because of the coronavirus pandemic and had told Ellen DeGeneres what the family was up to during quarantine.
"We're just trying to structure our days," she told the talk show host of their daily routine. "Everybody's home — the girls are back because colleges are online, so they're off in their respective rooms doing their online classes."
DeGeneres had poked fun at Michelle for having her children back under her roof just seven months after they had set off for their higher studies.
"My condolences that the kids are home because you were expressing how happy you were that they were gone," she joked. "I know!" Michelle responded. "I shouldn’t have boasted about that. The Gods were getting me back."