Keke Palmer Graces January Cover of ESSENCE doesn’t she looked exceptionally gorgeous!! I think so!
To kick off the new year, ESSENCE spotlighted 21-year-old Keke Palmer, who is brilliantly stepping into a new chapter of her life.
The former child star, who captured our hearts in Akeelah and the Bee, is now all grown up and making major career moves. Building off the momentum of 2013’s VH1’s biopic, CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story, in which she played Chili, Palmer took on a role that made history and raised her status as an actress, playing the first Black Cinderella on Broadway.
“I know that the role of Cinderella is primarily for a Caucasian girl, but it didn’t stop me from going in and it didn’t stop them from seeing me,” says Palmer. “There is a bit of intimidation. You think about Denzel, Viola Davis, and you think, Only great people can do Broadway. That was the scariest thing about it, but I’m the type who thrives on pressure.”
And her history-making doesn’t end there. In the new year, Palmer’s BET talk show, Just Keke, will be syndicated by Telepictures, making her the youngest host to have her own talk show.
On a personal note, Palmer is embracing this transitional moment. After a recent breakup, she felt lost and alone. But with some guidance from her father, quality time with her mother/manager and plenty of prayer, she came out on top.
On pushing boundaries and going beyond race:“
I know that the role of Cinderella is primarily for a Caucasian girl, but it didn’t stop me from going in and it didn’t stop them from seeing me.
Thriving under the pressure of Broadway:
“There is a bit of intimidation. You think about Denzel, Viola Davis, and you think, Only great people can do Broadway. That was the scariest thing about it, but I’m the type who thrives on pressure…”
On the single life and putting career first:
“I realized that I’m a lot freer of a spirit. That was the beginning of me standing up for myself. I would love to have somebody but this is such a great time in my life, in my career. I really am liking myself.”
On Cell Phone Hacking
“People think they can just put their hands in everything and it’s like, No, no, no. The fact that so many celebrity pictures were out there and everybody is elating in the fact that they’re a Peeping Tom? You’re all Peeping Toms. Everybody that’s commenting. In real life, if anybody went to somebody’s house and looked at them naked, they would go to jail…”
On Relationships
“What you’re ready for, you attract. So I think I have to do some introspection on why I’m attracted to people that can’t give me what I want…Maybe I’m not as ready for a serious thing as I think I am. The guys I end up getting involved with, they’re into the idea of me, but they really can’t handle what I’m about…”
“I realized that I’m a lot freer of a spirit. That was the beginning of me standing up for myself.” She continues: “I would love to have somebody but this is such a great time in my life, in my career. I really am liking myself.”
The January 2015 issue of ESSENCE hits newsstands December 5th.
Essence.com/PHOTO CREDIT: NINO MUÑOZ
