Keke Palmer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Keke Palmer
|
|
|---|---|
Keke Palmer at Essence Festival of Culture 2025
|
|
| Born |
Lauren Keyana Palmer
August 26, 1993 Harvey, Illinois, U.S.
|
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Partner(s) | Darius Jackson (2021–2023) |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Robbins, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Instruments |
|
| Labels |
|
Lauren Keyana "Keke" Palmer (/ˈkiːki/ KEE-kee; born August 26, 1993) is a talented American actress, singer, and television personality. She has won many awards, including two Primetime Emmy Awards. She was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2019, Time magazine named her one of the most influential people in the world.
Keke Palmer started her acting career as a child. She appeared in films like Barbershop 2: Back in Business and The Wool Cap in 2004. Her big break came with the movie Akeelah and the Bee in 2006, where she played the main character, Akeelah Anderson. She continued to act in films such as Madea's Family Reunion (2006), Jump In! (2007), and The Longshots (2008). She also released her first music album, So Uncool, in 2007.
Keke became very well-known on Nickelodeon. She starred as the main character in the TV show True Jackson, VP from 2008 to 2011. She also voiced Aisha in the Winx Club cartoon from 2011 to 2014. Keke also starred in the TV movie Rags in 2012.
Later, Keke took on more grown-up roles. She appeared in the VH1 movie CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story in 2013. She also made her Broadway debut as Ella in Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella from 2014 to 2015. She has starred in TV shows like Scream Queens (2015–2016) and Berlin Station (2017–2019). Her recent film is Nope (2022). Her role in Nope earned her a lot of praise.
As a singer, Keke Palmer has released several music collections called extended plays (EPs). She has also hosted TV talk shows like Just Keke (2014) and Strahan, Sara and Keke (2019–2020). Since 2022, she has hosted the game show Password. In 2021, she started KeyTV Network, which is an online platform for entertainment. She also released her second book, Master of Me, in 2024.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Lauren Keyana Palmer was born on August 26, 1993, in Harvey, Illinois. She grew up in a nearby town called Robbins. Her family was Catholic. Her parents, Sharon and Lawrence "Larry" Palmer, were both actors before they got other jobs. Her father works for a company that makes special materials, and her mother is a high school teacher who helps children with autism.
Keke's nickname "Keke" is not a shorter version of "Keyana." She explained that her older sister had an imaginary friend named Keke before she was born. Keke first sang in church and performed in a show in Chicago. In 2002, when she was nine, she tried out for a stage show called The Lion King.
Career Highlights
Early Acting Roles
In 2004, Keke Palmer got her first movie role in Barbershop 2: Back in Business. In 2005, she signed a music deal with Atlantic Records. That same year, she appeared in the TV movie Knights of the South Bronx and TV shows like Second Time Around and ER.
In 2006, Keke had a major acting success in the film Akeelah and the Bee. She played Akeelah, a smart 11-year-old from a tough neighborhood who competes in a national spelling bee. Critics praised her performance. She won a Black Reel Award and an NAACP Image Award for this role. She also had a supporting role in the 2006 film Madea's Family Reunion. The next year, Keke was in the movie Cleaner and played a main role in the TV film Jump In!. She also appeared in TV shows Tyler Perry's House of Payne and Just Jordan. Her first album, So Uncool, was released on September 18, 2007.
Becoming a Nickelodeon Star
In 2008, Keke Palmer began starring as the main character in the Nickelodeon sitcom True Jackson, VP. She also wrote and sang the theme song for the show. Keke earned a good salary for each episode, making her one of the highest-paid child stars on TV at the time. In 2009, a fashion line inspired by True Jackson, VP was created for Walmart, with Keke's approval. She also played the lead role in the 2008 film The Longshots. True Jackson, VP finished in 2011.
Expanding Her Talents
Keke Palmer started voicing Aisha in Nickelodeon's new version of Winx Club. She was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for her voice acting. In 2012, Keke starred in the film Joyful Noise. She also produced and starred in Rags, a TV musical film. She voiced Peaches in the animated movie Ice Age: Continental Drift. In July 2012, Keke released the song "You Got Me" with Kevin McCall. She also released a mixtape called Keke Palmer in October 2012.
In 2013, Keke played Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas in the TLC movie, CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story, which aired on VH1. In 2014, she starred in the horror film Animal. Keke also had a recurring role in the TV drama Masters of ..., playing a nanny named Coral. That same year, Keke hosted a talk show on BET called Just Keke. She became one of the youngest talk show hosts ever. In September 2014, Keke made history as the first African American to star as the main character in the musical Cinderella on Broadway. She finished her run in January 2015. Later that year, Keke signed with Island Records.
From 2015 to 2016, she starred as Zayday Williams in the horror comedy series Scream Queens. In January 2016, Keke played Marty Maraschino in the TV special Grease: Live. Her performance was highly praised. In June, Keke released Waited to Exhale, an album she wrote during her time on True Jackson, VP. On November 4, Keke released her second music collection, Lauren, along with a short film. In 2017, Keke released her book, I Don't Belong to You: Quiet the Noise and Find Your Voice. That same year, she joined the drama series Berlin Station.
In April 2019, Keke began guest co-hosting ABC's talk show Strahan and Sara. She became a permanent co-host in August, and the show was renamed Strahan, Sara and Keke. Keke also sang the song "Giants" as part of a virtual music group called True Damage for the video game League of Legends.
Recent Projects
Strahan, Sara and Keke ended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Keke was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for her hosting role. That same year, Keke began starring in a web comedy series called Turnt Up with the Taylors, where she plays all the characters. She released two music collections, Virgo Tendencies, Pt. 1 in August and Virgo Tendencies, Pt. 2 in December 2020. On August 30, Keke hosted the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards. The next year, Keke won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series for her work in Turnt Up with the Taylors. She also hosted a reboot of the MTV dating show Singled Out and the reality competition series Foodtastic for Disney+.
.jpg)
In 2022, Keke Palmer starred in Alice. She was also the narrator for Not So Pretty, a documentary about the beauty industry. Keke voiced Izzy Hawthorne in the Pixar animated film Lightyear. That same year, she starred as Emerald Haywood in the Jordan Peele-directed science-fiction horror film Nope. Her performance in Nope earned her the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress. In August 2022, Keke became the host of an NBC reboot of the game show Password. She also voiced Cece Dupree in the animated series Karma's World.
In February 2023, it was announced that Keke Palmer would star alongside Sacha Baron Cohen in the film Super Toys. In June 2023, Keke was invited to join The Academy, which is the group that gives out the Oscars. Keke also appeared in Usher’s music video for his song "Boyfriend" in August 2023. In June 2024, Keke started a girl group called DivaGurl, where she is the lead singer. In 2025, Keke co-starred in the film One of Them Days with SZA, receiving much praise for her role.
Other Activities
Keke Palmer hosts her own podcast called Baby, This is Keke Palmer. Her first book, I Don’t Belong to You: Quiet the Noise and Find Your Voice, was published in January 2017. On August 5, 2024, Keke announced her second book, Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative, which was released on November 19, 2024.
Keke works with the Boys' and Girls' Clubs through their Cool To Be Smart program. She talks to children about how important learning is. She also supports Urban Farming and the Girl Scouts. Since 2010, Keke has been a representative for the Saving Our Daughters project, which is a campaign against bullying. She also supports the Black Lives Matter movement. In 2020, she participated in protests in Hollywood, California, and spoke about the movement while hosting the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards.
In November 2019, Keke Palmer was included in Time magazine's 100 Next list. This list highlights 100 rising stars who are shaping the future in different fields like business, entertainment, and sports.
Keke recently launched her own digital entertainment platform called KeyTV Network.
Artistic Style
Keke Palmer's first album, So Uncool, was greatly influenced by contemporary R&B music. It was described as "bright, bouncy, and melodic," appealing to teens. Keke has said she was influenced by R&B singers like Ciara, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Aaliyah, Brandy, Mary J. Blige, and Whitney Houston. She also mentioned the girl group TLC. Keke also gets inspiration from pop artists like Gwen Stefani and Avril Lavigne.
Health and Well-being
Keke Palmer has amblyopia, which is sometimes called "lazy eye." She has also managed polycystic ovary syndrome for much of her life. She has openly shared her experiences with anxiety and depression.
Film and Television Appearances
Film Roles (selected)
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Barbershop 2: Back in Business | Gina's Niece | |
| 2006 | Akeelah and the Bee | Akeelah Anderson | |
| Madea's Family Reunion | Nikki Grady | ||
| 2007 | Cleaner | Rose Cutler | |
| 2008 | The Longshots | Jasmine Plummer | |
| Unstable Fables: Tortoise vs. Hare | Crystal Tortoise (voice) | ||
| 2009 | Shrink | Jemma | |
| 2012 | Ice Age: Continental Drift | Peaches (voice) | |
| Joyful Noise | Olivia Hill | ||
| Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom | Aisha (voice) | ||
| 2013 | Winx Club 3D: Magical Adventure | ||
| 2014 | Animal | Alissa | |
| Imperial Dreams | Samaara | ||
| 2015 | Brotherly Love | Jackie | |
| 2016 | Ice Age: Collision Course | Peaches (voice) | |
| 2020 | 2 Minutes of Fame | Sky | |
| 2022 | Alice | Alice | |
| Jennifer Lopez: Halftime | Herself | Documentary film | |
| Lightyear | Izzy Hawthorne (voice) | ||
| Nope | Emerald "Em" Haywood | ||
| 2023 | Under the Boardwalk | Ramona (voice) | |
| 2024 | This Is Me... Now: A Love Story | Scorpio | |
| 2025 | One of Them Days | Dreux | Also executive producer |
The Pickup  |
Zoe | Post-production | |
| Good Fortune |
rowspan="3" TBA | Post-production | |
| 2027 | The Angry Birds Movie 3 |
In production | |
| TBA | I Love Boosters |
Filming |
|
Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Television Roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Cold Case | Arletta (1939) | Episode: "The Letter" |
| Strong Medicine | Sarina | Episode: "Healing Touch" | |
| The Wool Cap | Lou | Television film | |
| 2005 | ER | Janell Parkerson | Episode: "The Show Must Go On" |
| Knights of the South Bronx | Kenya Russell | Television film | |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Tasha Wright | Episode: "Storm" | |
| Second Time Around | Sharlene | Episode: "Big Bank, Little Bank" | |
| 2007 | Jump In! | Mary Thomas | Television film |
| Just Jordan | C. C. Livingston | Episode: "Fame Game" | |
| Tyler Perry's House of Payne | Nikki Grady | Episode: "Bully and the Beast" | |
| 2008–2011 | True Jackson, VP | True Jackson | Lead role |
| 2010 | The Cleveland Show | Brandi (voice) | Episode: "Harder, Better, Faster, Browner" |
| 2011 | Degrassi: The Next Generation | Herself | Episodes: "Boom Boom Pow: Part 1" and "Boom Boom Pow: Part 2" |
| 2011–2015 | Winx Club | Aisha (voice) | Main role (seasons 3–6) |
| 2012 | Abducted: The Carlina White Story | Carlina White | Television film |
| Rags | Kadee Worth | Television film | |
| 2013 | 90210 | Elizabeth Royce Harwood | Recurring role (season 5) |
| CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story | Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas | Television film | |
| Full Circle | Chan'dra Stevens | Episodes: "Jace & Chan'dra" and "Chan'dra & Cliff" | |
| Key & Peele | Malia Obama's Anger Translator | Episode: "Obama Shutdown" | |
| 2014 | Family Guy | Pam (voice) | Episode: "Baby Got Black" |
| Grey's Anatomy | Sheryll Jeffries | Episode: "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" | |
| Just Keke | Herself | Host | |
| Masters of ... | Coral Anders | Recurring role (season 2) | |
| Single Ladies | Herself | Episode: "The Girl Most Likely To..." | |
| The Trip to Bountiful | Thelma | Television film | |
| 2015–2016 | Scream Queens | Zayday Williams | Main role |
| 2016 | Bubble Guppies | Stylee (voice) | Episode: "Guppy Style!" |
| Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade | Peaches (voice) | Television special | |
| Grease: Live | Marty Maraschino | Television special | |
| Project Mc2 | Nov8 Agent | Episodes: "Bye Bye Birdie" and "Mission Totally Possible" | |
| Real Husbands of Hollywood | Herself | Episode: "The Suitor" | |
| 2017–2019 | Berlin Station | April Lewis | Main role (seasons 2–3) |
| Star | Gigi Nixon | Recurring role (seasons 2–3) | |
| 2019 | Robot Chicken | Fraülen Hapstein (voice) | Episode: "Musya Shakhtyorov in: Honeyboogers" |
| Scream: Resurrection | Kym | Main role (season 3) | |
| 2019–2020 | Strahan, Sara and Keke | Herself | Co-host |
| 2020 | The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II | Television special | |
| MTV Video Music Awards | Host | ||
| Nickelodeon's Unfiltered | Episode: "Honey Bears Chew Gumballs" | ||
| Singled Out | Host | ||
| 2021-2025 | Big Mouth | Rochelle Hillhurst (voice) | 7 episodes |
| 2021 | 2021 World Series | Herself | National anthem singer |
| Insecure | Kira | Episode: "Pressure, Okay?" | |
| 2022 | Not So Pretty | Narrator (voice) | Documentary |
| Legendary | Herself | Judge (season 3) | |
| Karma's World | Cece Dupree (voice) | Episodes: "Save the Center, Part 1", "Save the Center, Part 2" and "Save the Center, Part 3" | |
| Saturday Night Live | Herself / Host | Episode: "Keke Palmer / SZA" | |
| 2022–2023 | Human Resources | Rochelle Hillhurst (voice) | Main role |
| 2022–present | The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder | Maya Leibowitz-Jenkins (voice) | Main role |
| Password | Herself | Host | |
| 2023 | That's My Jam | Herself / Guest | Episode: "Keke Palmer & Saweetie vs. Joel McHale & will.i.am" |
| The Jason Lee Show | Herself | Season 1, episode 17 | |
| The Afterparty | "Danner" | Episode: "Vivian and Zoë" | |
| 2024 | The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy | Dr. Klak (voice) | Main role |
| RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars | Herself / Guest Judge | Episode: "Drag Queens Save the World" | |
| Upcoming | The 'Burbs |
Music Releases
Studio Albums
- So Uncool (2007)
- Big Boss (2023)
- Just Keke (2025)
Concert Tours
Headlining Tours
- Footworkin' Concert Tour (2007)
- Big Boss Tour (2023)
Co-headlining Tours
- Radio Disney Jingle Jam (with Mitchel Musso and Drew Seeley) (2007)
See also
In Spanish: Keke Palmer para niños
