Keke Palmer is looking back on the experiences that have shaped her into the person she has become, encompassing both the positive and negative moments along the way.
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At just 31 years old, this versatile star began her journey in Hollywood as a young actor and has since established a vast empire that extends far beyond acting. Her impressive resume includes performances on Broadway, writing several books, directing, producing, and even launching her own entertainment media network. It’s no surprise they refer to her as Keke "Stay with a job" Palmer!
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Although Keke is known for generally having a positive disposition, she's still faced her fair share of challenges throughout her life, especially as she was learning the ins and outs of the industry. In a new interview from The Cut, she opened up about being the breadwinner for her family at such a young age.
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From 2008 to 2011, Keke starred as the titular character in the hit Nickelodeon series True Jackson, VP as an independent, creative teen who landed her dream job as a vice president at a fashion company. Keke saw similarities between herself and her character that mimicked her drive and unconventional pressure from people twice her age.
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"Keke remarked, 'She was carving her own path in the world, completely on her own.' She continued, 'Having that role model in my life influenced the way I aspire to present myself and navigate through life.'"
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"I held a deep resentment towards my parents for many years,” she went on. “The expectations to succeed were overwhelming—stemming from my community, my parents, my siblings, and all they had given up. Though they never voiced it, that was the truth of the matter. I was the reason we all moved to [LA].”
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Keke's budding career quickly became her family's main source of income, which in turn meant there was a need for her to consistently book roles. Despite being a child at the time, she was now being forced to make adult decisions and take on the position of financial caregiver.
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The One of Them Days star remembered being pushed into situations she was too young to handle, like when she was 12 years old, and her former manager reportedly told Keke that if her mom didn't lose weight, her mother would die.
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"That honestly left me deeply traumatized and filled with stress," she continued. "I couldn’t shake the thought that she might not make it, and I started worrying about things like hospital expenses. It was overwhelming."
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However, Keke's anxieties about supporting her family extended beyond just financial worries. She was acutely conscious of the restrictions that accompanied her success on Nickelodeon. Despite her popularity, she found herself excluded from discussions with fellow stars such as Victoria Justice and Miley Cyrus.
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"I wasn't exactly part of the same discussions as Victoria Justice, Selena Gomez, or Miley Cyrus during that period. It often felt like it was labeled as 'the Black show' or 'that's Keke Palmer, the Black girl on the network.'"
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"With the realization that I am treated differently, there’s an inevitable loss of innocence that I came to terms with long ago. I don’t measure myself against others. However, I certainly don’t measure myself against any white individual."
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Comparing herself to others was something that never really interested Keke and it makes sense because she's in a league of her own. To learn more about the entertainer, be sure to read her full interview with The Cut.
You can also check out her new memoir Master of Me out now, as well as her upcoming buddy comedy with SZA, One of Them Days, which hits theaters Jan. 17.