Keke Palmer set a Twitter user straight on Sunday after the person used colorism to compare her career to Zendaya’s, which started a viral conversation.
The viral conversation ignited a tweet from journalist Aiyanna Ishmael who questioned why people assumed Nope was the 28-year-old actress’s first breakout role.
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 Akeelah & The Bee was my dad’s favorite movie it went triple platinum in my home.
— Aiyana N. Ishmael (@aiyanaish) July 23, 2022
Palmer is a household name, especially in Black households, because of her famous roles in TV shows and movies like Akeelah & The Bee, Madea’s Family Reunion, and True Jackson, VP.
An oblivious tweeter then sparked the viral conversation by blindly assuming colorism played a role in Zendaya’s more mainstream popularity than Palmer, claiming the two actresses were a clear example of “how colorism plays out in Hollywood.”
I’d like someone to do a deep-drive on the similarities and differences between Keke Palmer and Zendaya’s careers. 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. https://t.co/Cmy1CXGQeI pic.twitter.com/etO27HVN0Y
— Melinda E (@NBAgladiator) July 23, 2022
The day after the tweet, Palmer corrected the user with her resume by stating that she became “the first Black woman to star in her own show on Nickelodeon,” aka True Jackson, VP.
A great example of colorism is to believe I can be compared to anyone. 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.
— Keke Palmer (@KekePalmer) July 24, 2022
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.🥹🥳❤️🙏🏾
— Keke Palmer (@KekePalmer) July 24, 2022
Palmer has starred in numerous well-known movies and shows with other famous actors like The Longshots with Ice Cube, Akeelah & The Bee with Angela Bassett, Rags with Max Schneider and Avan Jogia, Joyful Noise with Queen Latifah and Jeremy Jordan, Jump In with Corbin Bleu, and the list goes on.
