Keke Palmer discusses the challenges she faced as a Black child actress and how it shaped her career
Los Angeles: Keke Palmer is sharing her experiences as a Black child actress. She felt there were clear “limitations” in her early career.
In a chat with The Cut, Keke, now 31, mentioned she wasn’t in the same league as stars like Victoria Justice or Selena Gomez back then. She felt labeled as “the Black girl” on the network.
She reflected on how that awareness changed her. “There’s a loss of innocence when you realize you’re treated differently,” she said.
Now, she doesn’t compare herself to anyone, especially not to white actresses. Keke still connects with her role in Nickelodeon’s True Jackson, VP, where she played a teen VP at a fashion company.
“She was making it happen for herself,” Keke explained. That character influenced how she approaches life and her career.
After her breakout in Akeelah and the Bee, Keke’s parents were careful about the roles she took. They even turned down a part in Half Nelson, believing it wasn’t right for her.
“They didn’t think it was good for me to play a drug dealer,” she recalled. It’s clear that her journey has been shaped by both her talent and the challenges she faced.
