Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama are facing criticism on social media for their involvement in producing a new movie that features a character advising caution when trusting "white people," as The Blaze reported.

This scene is from the apocalyptic film Leave the World Behind, produced by the Obamas through their company, Higher Ground.

The company specializes in projects centered around race, class, democracy, and civil rights, as reported by Newsweek.

The Scene in Question

In the film, a mixed-race daughter cautions her Black father: "I'm asking you to remember that if the world falls apart, trust should not be doled out easily to anyone, especially white people -- even mom would agree with me on that."

The movie's plot revolves around a cyberattack that plunges the world into turmoil. A key scene unfolds as a white family renting a home on Long Island encounters the black father and daughter from New York City, who claim to be the homeowners, seeking refuge following a power outage.

In one instance, the film portrays Julia Roberts' character, who is part of the renting family, as racially prejudiced surprised that a black family could own an impressive property.

Obama's Key Role in Film Script

Former President Obama was not only aware of these elements but actively contributed to the screenplay's development, as detailed in a Vanity Fair interview with director Sam Esmail.

Esmail said in the interview, "In the original drafts of the script, I definitely pushed things a lot farther than they were in the film, and President Obama, having the experience he does have, was able to ground me a little bit on how things might unfold in reality."

Public Reactions and Criticisms

Prominent voices have expressed disapproval of the film's controversial scene:

- Libs of TikTok commented, "White people are the only group you're allowed and celebrated to be racist towards, and it will be put into movies by the most influential people."

- Conservative figure Liz Churchill stated, "This is unacceptable. I would say the same thing if they said this about people of color. How is this okay?"

- Podcaster Kyle Becker remarked, "If you don't support hatred against white people, then you're a racist."

- The Western Journal added, "Imagine replacing 'white' with 'black.' All hell would break loose."

Other social media users echoed these sentiments, criticizing the film for perpetuating division and portraying white characters negatively.

Alternative Perspectives

However, not everyone views the scene in the same light. Journalist Brian Krassenstein offered a counterpoint, suggesting that the film, in its entirety, seeks to challenge and expose absurd racial prejudices.

When queried about a hypothetical film produced by Donald Trump with a reversed racial narrative, Krassenstein stated he would commend it if it concluded similarly to Leave the World Behind, promoting unity and understanding.

Despite the controversy, Leave the World Behind has achieved notable success on Netflix, topping the charts in numerous countries. This marks the first significant cinematic hit for the Obamas' production company.