Keke Palmer’s movies and TV shows show her acting chops shining in all sorts of ways. From her breakthrough role playing a Spelling Bee contestant in Akeelah and the Bee to starring in Jordan Peele’s Nope, she has an uncanny knack for putting spunk, power, and personality into her performances. Now that the True Jackson, VP star is 30 and a mother to a one-year-old son, she might be joining the long list of people thinking of quitting Hollywood.
The Just Keke host experienced her whole childhood in front of the camera, which started with Barbershop 2, then branched into television, hosting, a singing career, podcasts and, most recently, being a CEO. Now that Keke Palmer has had multiple successful careers and been “mommy-ing” since the birth of her first child, Leo, she could retire right now if she wanted to. While speaking to Teen Vogue, Palmer gets honest if her time in Hollywood is over.
I think the timer has started. I think [I haven’t retired] because I just haven’t felt it yet. But the timer, I know that it’s around the corner.
A lot of well-known celebrities have been making big changes lately away from the glitz and glam of Hollywood. Mark Wahlberg and his family left Tinseltown for Las Vegas in order to build a community for his children. Johnny Depp moved to London because he felt more at ease with the European lifestyle. Then it appeared that Byron Bay, Australia was the hot spot for celebrity living, with Chris Hemsworth and his family moving to his home roots, and Zac Efron also quitting the U.S. for the Land Down Under.
In Keke Palmer’s case, it might be more than just leaving Los Angeles. There are many child stars throughout history who have left Hollywood to do other careers like politics, fashion designing, law, animal keepers and more. In believing her time as an entertainer could be over soon, she couldn’t help thinking about the legacy she’d leave behind for her son.
I think about my son. I don’t want to raise him to be afraid. I don’t want to raise him to have no boundaries or for him to be naïve either. But I want to raise him to know that if life is a school, get out there and learn. A part of learning in this place, I think, is to love and to know how to first be unconditionally loving to yourself, so that you know how to love others and be of service to others in a way that doesn’t disadvantage them but instead empowers them. That’s what I would hope that the legacy is for me. And for anyone that wants to follow me, I hope that’s what they see too.
An important legacy that holds dear to Keke Palmer is her latest business endeavor, KeyTV. With what she described as her “baby,” the Facebook and YouTube-based digital network’s mission is to present opportunities to Black talent in front and behind the camera who are trying to break barriers in the entertainment industry. Upcoming creators can produce and shoot their own original content for the platform, like Dear Keke and Connected. With over a million subscribers, KeyTV is hoping to change the game of streaming services. It’s a beautiful legacy to leave behind her son in case his path leads him to his mother’s content platform just as it’s revolutionizing.
Your girl Keke Palmer may be contemplating leaving behind her Hollywood career, but it doesn’t mean her time working is over. With upcoming film projects under her belt, being a mother and KeyTV to keep her afloat, I see it as the 30-year-old entering a new chapter in her life. You can look at our 2024 movie releases so you’ll be up to date on the Emmy Award winner’s latest projects.