Of all the people appearing in the credits for Netflix's The Later Daters, fans have been shocked to see former First Lady Michelle Obama listed first and center.
The new reality romance series, which premiered on November 29, follows six older adults as they attempt to find love later in life.
Obama's name is the first listed in the credits for the series, appearing as an executive producer on the project.
How Was Michelle Obama Involved in The Later Daters?
Netflix audiences have been confused after seeing former First Lady Michelle Obama's name listed as an executive producer on the streamer's The Later Daters series.
Her exact involvement in the show is not specified in the series itself, and she never appears on camera; however, that does not mean she was not involved in the making of the project at all.
Executive Producer (EP) can be somewhat of a nebulous title in Hollywood. It can mean everything from being involved day-to-day in making a particular project happen with personal finances on the line to almost an honorarium of sorts with the EP simply kicking in money or support in some way.
In an Instagram post celebrating the series' release, Michelle Obama posited that the show is important given that it tells people, "All of us deserve love and a chance at finding happiness no matter how old we are:"
I am an executive producer for 'The Later Daters.' It is a fun new dating show from Higher Ground on Netflix. Now, I believe that all of us deserve love and a chance at finding happiness no matter how old we are. No one has missed the boat — it just has not shown up."
Michell Obama's EP credit on The Later Daters is part of an ongoing deal she has with the streamer.
Obama signed (what was deemed at the time) a storytelling partnership with Netflix back in 2018 (via Netflix).
At the time, it was dubbed a multi-year agreement to produce films and series with Netflix that would include a "diverse mix of content, including the potential for scripted series, unscripted series, docu-series, documentaries, and features."
This producing work would be done under the company set up by the Obamas, Higher Ground Productions.
After signing the deal, the former First Lady was quoted as saying that she "believed in the power of storytelling to inspire us, to make us think differently about the world around us, and to help us open our minds and hearts to others:"
"Barack and I have always believed in the power of storytelling to inspire us, to make us think differently about the world around us, and to help us open our minds and hearts to others. Netflix’s unparalleled service is a natural fit for the kinds of stories we want to share, and we look forward to starting this exciting new partnership."
Netflix and the Obamas expanded this deal in June 2024, giving the streaming first-look rights to anything coming out of Higher Ground (via Deadline).
Through this agreement, the streamer and the presidential family have been able to release titles such as the Oscar-nominated Rustin, American Symphony, Leave the World Behind, Working: What We Do All Day, and Bodkin.
The Later Daters is just the latest of these titles from Higher Ground and the Obamas.
Given the influence the Obama family continues to have, putting their stamp of approval on a particular project means a lot. Through Higher Ground, they have been able to help put a spotlight on the stories they want to see from Hollywood's best and brightest and use their name to capture audiences in doing so.
The Later Daters is now streaming on Netflix.
