Is Obama about to collaborate with Spielberg? Barack and the Oscar-winning director talk over dinner after they both announce big Netflix deals
- Michelle and Barack Obama could be teaming up with Steven Spielberg
- Obama was spotted on Monday with the director at New York's Marea restaurant
- Spielberg entered through front and Obama via the side with Secret Service
- Not many noticed the low-key meeting the day before Spielberg was revealed as executive producer for Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous on Netflix in 2020
- Obama revealed team for Netflix project Higher Ground Productions in February
Michelle and Barack Obama could be teaming up with Steven Spielberg after the 44th President and Oscar-winning director were spotted dining together in New York Monday night.
The pair sparked rumors they are set to collaborate on an entertainment project as they stepped out three months after the Obamas' Higher Ground Productions announced its executive leader team for the Netflix-based company.
Obama dined with Spielberg the day before the director was named as one of the executive producers of a Jurassic World animation coming to the streaming platform in 2020.
According to sources, only eagle-eyed diners noticed the famous faces because the former American leader was buffered by security and the DreamWorks co-founder made a quiet entrance.
Michelle and Barack Obama could be teaming up with Steven Spielberg. The former president was spotted on Monday with the director
The pair dined at Marea near Central Park according to a source who said Spielberg entered through the front and Obama through the side with Secret Service
'Spielberg walked through the front and no one noticed,' a source told Page Six. 'They were with a group — with lots of Secret Service but it was still pretty low-key with no disruptions to other diners.'
Obama and Spielberg have a friendship and business relationship that saw the former American leader present the director with a Medal of Freedom in 2015.
The then-POTUS said in November that year: 'Steven's films are marked most importantly by a faith in our common humanity, the same faith in humanity that led him to create the Shoah Foundation, and lend a voice to the survivors of genocide around the world.'
'His stories have shaped America's story and his values have shaped our world.'
In May 2014, Obama had accepted the USC Shoah Foundation's Ambassadors for Humanity Award from USC Shoah Foundation Honorary Chair, Spielberg.
The Obamas are said to be working on shows about fashion and federal bureaucracy.
Higher Ground Productions' first release will be Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert's Sundance Film Festival documentary American Factory, about a Chinese-owned factory in post-industrial Ohio.
Not many noticed the low-key meeting the day before Spielberg was revealed as executive producer for Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous on Netflix in 2020
President Barack Obama (R) accepts the USC Shoah Foundation's Ambassadors for Humanity Award from USC Shoah Foundation Honorary Chair Steven Spielberg onstage at USC Shoah Foundation's 20th Anniversary Gala at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza on May 7, 2014
Obama presents director Steven Spielberg with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. Obama said: 'His stories have shaped America's story and his values have shaped our world'
In collaboration with Netfli, the production company also acquired Jim LeBrecht and Nicole Newnham's Crip Camp, a documentary about a summer camp for disabled teenager founded in upstate New York in the early 1970s.
Spielberg has already teamed up with another former White House resident.
The Hilary Clinton campaign donor agreed to help produce TV show The Woman's Hour, an adaption of author Elaine Weiss' book.
As part of an ongoing multi-year agreement with Netflix to produce original animated kids and family programming, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous was announced Tuesday.
Michelle Obama and her husband are said to be working on shows about fashion and federal bureaucracy with Higher Ground Productions in a Netflix deal
Set within the same timeline as the 2015 blockbuster film, Jurassic World, the Netflix original series builds on DreamWorks Animation's five-year relationship with the service.
In March, Page Six reported Spielberg and Netflix boss Ted Sarandos met up for discussions to resolve tensions after the Jaws director had hinted he thought Netflix originals shouldn't be contenders for Academy Awards.
Spielberg - who's on the Academy board said 'films that are just given token qualifications in a couple of theaters for less than a week' shouldn't qualify.
Netflix and Higher Ground Productions did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.
