Barack Obama
The first African-American president, Barack Obama inspired a new era of U.S. politics and, despite his critics, became one of the most loved political figures of the modern era. Barack Hussein Obama II was born Aug. 4, 1961 in Honolulu, HI, the son of a white mother, Ann Dunham, and Kenyan father, Barack Obama, Sr., who met while students at the University of Hawaii. Although both his parents were incredibly intelligent and ambitious, their marriage proved short-lived. His father went on to Harvard before returning to Africa while his mother briefly moved her young son to Indonesia when she remarried. At the age of 10, Obama returned to live in Hawaii with his grandparents, who would become his primary caregivers while his mother pursued an anthropology career, eventually returning to Indonesia where she spent most of the rest of her life. Sharing his parents' passion for education and achievement, Obama went on to graduate from Columbia University and Harvard Law School, becoming the first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review. When he moved to Chicago to work as a lawyer, he met a colleague, Michelle Robinson, who would become his wife in 1992. In addition to his work as a lawyer and community organizer, Obama went on to become a faculty member at the University of Chicago Law School before being elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996, where he enjoyed a meteoric rise that helped buoy him to his 2004 election to the U.S. Senate. After welcoming two daughters, Malia, born 1998, and Sasha, born 2001, Obama saw his political star shine even brighter when he delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. He surprised many when he ran for and won the 2008 U.S. presidency over challenger John McCain, becoming the first African-American president and beating out fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton, who would become his biggest ally as Secretary of State. Although many of his more hysterical critics called his nationality, religion and loyalty to America into question, Obama earned the seal of approval from Oprah Winfrey and, for many, represented the best in American ideals: optimism, intelligence and compassion. Faced with a difficult economy, persistent underlying racism and vicious attacks from his opponents, Obama managed to achieve many impressive feats, including helping save the auto industry, pushing the health care reform known as "Obamacare" through, ending the Iraq War, and authorizing the successful assassination of Osama bin Laden. Showered with awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize, Obama epitomized a new breed of leader: youthful but confident, health-conscious but a smoker, effortlessly cool but a closet Trekkie. Able to sing like Al Green, eloquent beyond all measure and happy to poke fun at himself, Obama was enormously popular around the world, but he still faced a difficult battle for his 2012 reelection. After an exhausting, bruising campaign, he defeated Mitt Romney to earn four more years, celebrating with a photo of himself hugging Michelle, which became the most retweeted image of all time.
Photos
Barack Obama
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
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No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Turnaround | Executive Producer | - | 2024 |
74% |
|
Leave the World Behind | Executive Producer | - | 2023 |
100% |
|
For Love & Life: No Ordinary Campaign | Self | - | 2022 |
67% |
|
Loudmouth | Self | - | 2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The First Ladies: Michelle Obama | Unknown (Character) | - | 2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Presidents: Obama | Self | - | 2022 |
93% |
|
Becoming | Self | - | 2020 |
100% |
|
Crip Camp | Executive Producer | - | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | This Little Land of Mines | Unknown (Character) | - | 2019 |
No Score Yet |
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Never Stop Dreaming: The Life and Legacy of Shimon Peres | Self | - | 2018 |
81% |
|
Pope Francis -- A Man of His Word | Self | $2.0M | 2018 |
83% |
|
The Final Year | Self | - | 2017 |
No Score Yet |
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'85: The Untold Story of the Greatest Team in Pro Football History | Self | - | 2016 |
No Score Yet |
|
A Plastic Ocean | Unknown (Character) | - | 2016 |
75% |
|
Before the Flood | Self | - | 2016 |
92% |
|
Mistaken for Strangers | Unknown (Character) | $785 | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Tumor, It's In The System | Unknown (Character) | - | 2012 |
No Score Yet |
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Climate Refugees | Unknown (Character) | - | 2010 |
No Score Yet |
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Media Malpractice: How Obama Got Elected and Palin Was Targeted | Unknown (Character) | - | 2010 |
No Score Yet |
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By the People: The Election of Barack Obama | Self | - | 2009 |
No Score Yet |
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Senator Obama Goes to Africa | Unknown (Character) | - | 2007 |
TV
Credit | ||||
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No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Our Oceans |
Executive Producer, Narrator |
2024 |
69% | 69% | Bodkin | Executive Producer | 2024 |
44% | 71% | Working: What We Do All Day |
Executive Producer, Self |
2023 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Ada Twist, Scientist | Executive Producer | 2021-2023 |
69% | 94% | They Call Me Magic | Self | 2022 |
100% | 80% | Our Great National Parks |
Executive Producer, Narrator |
2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Graham Norton Show | Guest | 2021 |
No Score Yet | 67% | We the People | Executive Producer | 2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Soul of a Nation | Self | 2021 |
No Score Yet | 18% | The Late Late Show With James Corden | Guest | 2021 |
95% | 73% | Waffles + Mochi | Executive Producer | 2021 |
No Score Yet | 50% | Spycraft | Self | 2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Desus & Mero | Guest | 2020 |
No Score Yet | 44% | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | Guest | 2016 2020 |
No Score Yet | 50% | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert | Guest | 2020 |
No Score Yet | 42% | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Guest | 2015-2016 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | 60 Minutes | Guest | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Shop | Guest | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Democratic National Convention | Unknown (Character) | 2020 |
No Score Yet | 76% | My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman | Guest | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The BET Life of | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Real Time With Bill Maher | Guest | 2016 |
No Score Yet | 99% | Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown | Guest | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Inside Obama's White House | Unknown (Character) | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Ellen DeGeneres Show | Guest | 2014 2016 |
No Score Yet | 87% | Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee | Guest | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Running Wild With Bear Grylls | Self | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Shark Tank | Guest | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Daily Show | Guest | 2007 2010 2012 2015 |
100% | 78% | Late Show With David Letterman | Guest | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Colbert Report | Guest | 2008-2009 2014 |
97% | 87% | Treme | Archive Footage (Guest Star) | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | 20/20 | Guest | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Late Night With Jimmy Fallon | Guest | 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | America's Book of Secrets | Self | 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Rachael Ray | Guest | 2008 |