Keke Palmer has been on our screens for over two decades. The 29-year-old actress started her career at just ten years old when she starred in Barbershop 2: Back in Business. She has since appeared in over 35 movies and television roles and has made a name for herself as an actress, singer, style icon, talk show host, and everybody’s favourite funny girl!
Some even refer to her as Keke “Keep a Job” Palmer for her unshakable ability to always be working - with each gig bigger and better than the last.
Now she’s taken on one of her most prestigious roles yet - playing Emerald Haywood in the Jordan Peel-directed sci-fi horror film, Nope, alongside Daniel Kaluuya.
With well-deserved Oscar-buzz already surrounding the star, we take a look at Keke Palmer’s extensive list of past career highlights leading up to this moment:
Akeelah and the Bee (2006)
Undoubtedly her breakthrough role, Keke rose to fame after starring alongside Laurence Fishburn in Akeelah and the Bee, - an inspirational movie about perseverence, tenacity, and not allowing external forces to shake your confidence and self-belief. At 12 just years old, Keke won an NAACP Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture for her memorable performance.
True Jackson VP (2008)
After conquering the big screen, Keke scored the role of in the Nickelodeon series True Jackson VP, which she played from 2008 to 2011.
Just Keke (2014)
Three years after wrapping the Nickelodeon show, Keke made history by becoming the youngest talk show host ever by scoring her own talk show, Just Keke on BET, at 20 years old. A few years later, she co-hosted the show Strahan, Sara and Keke, which earned her Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host.
Cinderella on Broadway (2014)
Also in 2014, Keke was once again made history by becoming the first African-American woman to play Cinderella on Broadway - a role which Keke says, she waited her entire life for.
Big Boss Entertainment (2018)
Keke might be known for her acting chops but she is also a talented singer and songwriter. In fact, the star has released two studio albums, three extended plays, three mixtapes and 28 singles, with her debut album, So Uncool, being released in 2007. In 2018, she released her third studio album Big Boss, and also launched her record company Big Boss Entertainment to help provide a “supportive and nurturing” environment to young artists looking to grow their careers.
Nope (2022)
Keke Palmer currently stars in Nope as the young Emerald Haywood - and it’s touted to be the role that brings her Oscar and Emmy’s success.
GLAMOUR cover girl! (2022)
There’s a myriad reasons why we love the star - and even more reasons why she deserves to be a celebrated GLAMOUR cover girl. In our current Spring Issue, we’re getting up close and personal with Keke Palmer, while she explains to us all about her next big chapter.
Grab your digital copy of Glamour’s 2022 Spring Issue, here or pick up a physical copy now available in-stores nationwide.
