Keke Palmer Does Not Have Time For Your Comparisons
Keke Palmer is incomparable, and if anyone tries to say otherwise, they will be swiftly shut down, by Palmer herself, as well as her many fans who have been around since the actress first entered the industry in the early aughts. Over the weekend, someone tried to compare Palmer to Zendaya, claiming colorism in Hollywood has led them down different paths, but Palmer quickly stepped in and ended the conversation before it began.
While Palmer has been in the spotlight since she was 10 years old, her current leading role in Jordan Peele’s new movie, Nope, has made her a current topic of discussion in pop culture. “It’s so interesting seeing the conversation around Keke Palmer having her breakout or superstar moment and it’s wild we live in different worlds because in my household Keke been a star for forever,” writer Aiyana Ishmael tweeted over the weekend. “Akeelah & The Bee was my dad’s favorite movie it went triple platinum in my home.” Then, another Twitter user, @NBAgladiator, stepped in, replying to Ishmael’s tweet with what she believed was an explanation for why people are just now recognizing Palmer’s talent.
“I'd like someone to do a deep-drive on the similarities and differences between Keke Palmer and Zendaya's careers,” she said. “This may be one of the clearest examples of how colorism plays out in Hollywood. They were both child-stars, but their mainstream popularity is very different.”
At that point, Palmer felt it was time to enter the conversation. “A great example of colorism is to believe I can be compared to anyone,” she said, before listing her many accomplishments. “I’m the youngest talk show host ever. The first Black woman to star in her own show on Nickelodeon, & the youngest & first Black Cinderella on broadway. I’m an incomparable talent. Baby, THIS, is Keke Palmer.” She continued, “I’ve been a leading lady since I was 11 years old. I have over 100+ credits, and currently starring in an original screenplay that’s the number one film at the box office #NOPE. I’ve had a blessed career thus far, I couldn’t ask for more but God continues to surprise me.”
And Palmer isn’t lying. Ever since starring in Akeelah and the Bee in 2004, she has stayed booked and busy, going on to headline the popular Nickelodeon series, True Jackson VP, as well as Ryan Murphy’s Scream Queens. She starred in Hustlers alongside Jennifer Lopez, and recently voiced the character Izzy in Disney’s Lightyear. She also hosted the third hour of Good Morning America with Sara Haines and Michael Strahan until the segment was canceled in March 2020 and replaced with ongoing coronavirus coverage. That’s all to say that Palmer has had quite the career, and given the positive response to Nope, and Palmer’s performance in the film, things aren’t slowing down anytime soon.
