Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the United States, recently took to her podcast “IMO” with her brother Craig Robinson to speak with legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg. The conversation, which touched on several topics, included a humorous anecdote about her husband, Barack Obama, and his reaction to Spielberg’s upcoming film Disclosure Day.
A Unique Film Experience for the Former President
During the interview, Michelle revealed that Disclosure Day, set to debut on June 12, is one of the few films Spielberg has kept from her husband. She joked about the situation, saying, “My husband is a bully to you when it comes to your movies. I always reprimand him.”
The former president, known for his love of cinema, reportedly expressed frustration over not being allowed to see the film before its release. According to Spielberg, Obama threatened to watch the movie only on an iPhone and in a vertical format, which he found amusing.
“Which he knows would irritate you,” Michelle added, highlighting the playful rivalry between the two men. Despite his initial disappointment, Barack did visit the film’s set, which was a first for him.
A Memorable Visit to the Set
Steven Spielberg shared his experience of having the former president stop by the set. “This is the first set Barack ever visited, even though your daughter’s a filmmaker, Malia! So I feel bad,” he admitted.
Michelle reassured him, explaining that Malia, who is also a filmmaker, doesn’t typically invite them to her projects. “She doesn’t care. She will never invite us to anything she does,” she said. However, she noted that Barack enjoyed the visit.
The Cast Was in Shock
Spielberg recalled the reaction of the cast when Barack arrived on set. “It was great. For my cast, it was a bit of a religious experience because in walks this iconic president. To me, he’s a good friend, we know each other so well. But on the set the kids didn’t know Barack, except from what he’s done for the world and who he represents.”
He described the moment as surreal, noting that the cast was so taken aback by his presence that “you could hear a pin drop when he walked in.” Spielberg admitted he only told a few people about the visit beforehand.
A Star-Studded Lineup
Disclosure Day features a stellar cast including Emily Blunt, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Josh O’Connor, and Colman Domingo. The film promises to be a major release, blending science fiction with thought-provoking themes.
Inside the Obamas’ Relationship
Michelle’s comments about scolding her husband came at a time when she has been open about the challenges in her marriage. While dismissing recent divorce rumors, she acknowledged that they have faced difficult times.
“We’ve been married 30 plus years. Something works. If you don’t let people know about the tough times, I think they quit too soon,” she explained.
She also reflected on the idea that long-term relationships require effort. “In any long relationship, there is going to be years, months, hours of time where things just don’t feel right. You don’t quit on it. You dig deeper. And if you don’t dig deeper, you miss all the stuff on the end.”
Michelle emphasized that their commitment has paid off. “That’s the point. It only gets better. We’ve done the work.”
