- I'm Keke Palmer.
And this is the Wired Autocomplete Interview.
[dynamic music]
Mama's getting hot on the net.
What's Keke Palmer real name?
Okay, we're starting out light. [laughs]
My real name is Lauren.
A lot of people think,
'cause my full name is Lauren Keyana Palmer,
and they're like, oh, that's where Keke from.
Wrong.
I actually hate when people credit Keyana for Keke
because actually Keke should be credited for Keyana.
My sister had an imaginary friend named Keke
and that's how I got the nickname.
And that's what informed my full name,
Lauren Keyana Palmer, because my mom thought
I needed a name that sounded like real chill
so I'd get a job.
And then I ended up going by Keke Palmer anyway,
so that's a little funny.
What was Keke Palmer's first movie?
A lot of people think it was "Akeelah and the Bee,"
was actually "Barbershop 2."
I had like about four lines.
I played Queen Latifah's niece.
Good times.
What did Keke Palmer win an Emmy for?
I created this sketch with this character
named Chelsea Barbie Taylor, Chelsea Barbie Taylor.
It got really popular on my Instagram page.
And then I ended up getting into a partnership with Facebook
and this production company called Kids at Play.
So we did that character in like kind of an SNL style.
Took the sketch and turned it into a larger story,
which was "Turnt up With the Taylors."
And we ended up getting an Emmy for it,
so that was pretty cool.
Okay, what Disney show was Keke Palmer in?
Okay, so here's the funny thing.
I did a little company hopping
back and forth between Disney and Nickelodeon.
I said, who's cutting a check?
The movie that I did with them
was with Corbin Bleu when I was 12.
And it was "Jump In," little Double Dutch vibes.
Okay, what is the Keke Palmer meme?
Well, this is a difficult question because thanks to
all my internet peeps, they've made a couple of 'em.
So you got the Keke Palmer, the gag is.
You got the, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
I know it ain't, I know it ain't.
Then you got, I'm sorry, I don't know who this man is.
Sorry to this man.
So, yeah.
Thank you for making me a meme.
I'm very touched by it.
Now they've got this new one of me
from my Complex "Hot Ones" interview.
And I'm just like, ooh, mm,
this one's got a little sweetness to it.
And now that one's like,
they taking that one very edgy, honey.
They've, I can't even tell you, but they went dark with it.
It just kills me.
Okay.
Is Keke Palmer?
This could get scary.
Let's see.
Is Keke Palmer in "Nope?"
I am in "Nope." [laughs]
I'm so excited about this movie.
Is Keke Palmer from Chicago?
So here's the thing, I'm from Illinois.
I grew up in a small suburb called Robbins,
very Midwestern town.
I was born in Harvey.
A lot of people would be like, oh you from Harvey?
No, I was born in Harvey, raised in Robbins.
Mudville stand up.
Town was just so poor
that for years they didn't have sidewalks.
We were just walking in the mud, little fun fact.
But I used to say Chicago
because don't nobody know where Robbins is.
So when I first moved to California
and people would be like, oh, where's Keke, where you from?
Like Chicago.
'Cause that's something that people can remember.
Now it's time to rep Robbins, let people know.
So is Keke Palmer in a sorority?
No, I'm not in a sorority.
I have nothing against sororities.
I used to wanna be in a sorority,
but I realized that it was a little bit political.
And this can get a little bit spooky-ooky.
I don't know if I could really roll with it.
I might end up slapping the hell outta one of my sisters.
So I don't know if it's for me.
But much love to anybody that's down with it.
Kudos to you.
Is Keke Palmer in the Old Navy commercial?
Yes, yes.
Expecting someone?
I gagged at that commercial.
It's just, I really love like the early 2000s
and late '90s when everything was a little bit
like inside itself, it was like,
everything was a little like that.
And so I lived for doing that commercial
'cause I was very like, expecting someone?
Old Navy.
And so I had so much fun with that commercial.
And it's just, Old Navy always was doing those commercials,
I remember as a kid.
Like they did with Lil' Kim.
It was just so much fun
because of course I would be Santa Claus
coming down the damn chimney.
Like of course it would be your girl Keeks.
Is Keke Palmer alive?
Aw shit, they thought I was dead.
I remember the first time I got killed on Twitter.
Y'all remember that?
When Twitter first was created they were killing everybody.
It was like, so-and-so's dead.
So-and-so's dead.
So-and-so.
And that's crazy to laugh like that
because it's not, it's sad somebody's dead.
But it's just like, I don't know why Twitter.
I think it's because Twitter,
people on Twitter started to realize
that they could make anything trend.
And they were just like so excited
they could make anything trend.
And why they like wanted to trend killing [beeps]?
It's crazy.
But I remember one time my sister called me crying.
And she was like, [whimpers] Twitter told me you're dead.
You're dead.
[laughing] I'm like, no I'm not dead.
So yes, Keke Palmer is alive.
Woo, thank gosh.
That was a scary one.
So now we just have Keke Palmer.
How was Keke Palmer discovered?
Somebody Googled that?
Wow, okay.
Mama's getting hot on the net.
So Keke Palmer was discovered
by a lady named Sharon Davis on the South Side of Chicago.
My mother was looking for an agent for me.
Found an agent, this place called Baker and Raleigh.
I don't even know it still exists.
I remember we were trying to get me
an audition for "Barbershop 2."
And I couldn't get one because they were like,
she's never acted before.
Queen Latifah's gonna be in Chicago
for a limited amount of time.
We don't have any time with new actors.
We need a kid that knows what they're doing.
My mom would not take no for an answer, right?
She's like, my baby needs a chance.
Put me on film, doing the lines and singing.
Weeks went by, weeks went by, and we didn't hear anything.
And the next thing you know,
the casting director, who name was Sharon Davis,
she was like, I saw her tape.
We'd love to see her, have her come down.
And I remember I auditioned in front of Ice Cube
and everything like that.
And Sharon gave me the part. And I say, she discovered me.
And then I also say, a man by the name of Ralph Farquhar
discovered me because when I moved to California,
Ralph Farquhar, who created "Moesha," "The Parkers,"
"The Proud Family," he, under his Disney Channel deal,
brought me in and filmed with my first pilot.
Which was very unheard of,
for me to just come to California,
and just meet somebody, and then do a pilot for me.
But he believed in me.
So I'd say Sharon Davis
and Ralph Farquhar who discovered me.
How old was Keke Palmer in "Barbershop 2?"
On the last day of filming, I turned 10.
And I will never forget because it was my birthday.
And I remember, this is when
I fell in love with Michael Ealy, child.
I looked up at Michael Ealy, he was walking by,
and I was like, it was my birthday.
I turned 10.
And he picked me up.
He said, you turned 10, and swung me around.
And I was like, I'm in love with Michael Ealy.
I loved Michael Ealy.
I still love Michael Ealy to this day.
First crush.
What makeup does Keke Palmer use?
Okay, Keke Palmer uses...
What makeup does Keke Palmer use?
Okay, Keke Palmer uses Jordanna, okay.
It's the makeup artist,
because I don't know what the hell makeup I use.
I'm so sorry.
I think I use a bunch of couple things.
In my personal life, let's just start there.
I don't know what y'all seeing now.
I have no control over this.
What y'all seeing is a makeup artist
named Jordanna who killed it.
But in my personal life, I don't even know
if you're interested in knowing what I used for those looks,
because they don't, they're not on this level.
But, they're pretty cool.
Who does Keke Palmer look like?
That means that people have been looking at me
and being like, she look like somebody.
And I know the person they're gonna,
that they're hoping to find.
Which is who they've been telling me
I look like my entire life.
Halle Berry, I'm kidding. [laughing]
I look better.
No, Angela Bassett.
Everybody always tells me I look like Angela Bassett.
And I've always done an impression of Angela Bassett.
Like, I do two.
So there's one impression I do from
"American Dream: The Michael Jackson Story,"
where she finds out that her husband's been cheating on her.
And she like answers the phone,
and hears him on the other line talking to somebody.
Talking about Joe, Joe is like cheating on her.
And she's like, he comes back into his house.
He's like, hey baby.
And she's like, you a liar, and you a cheater.
And I don't want you, I don't want you,
I don't want you no more.
And with Angela, it's all in the lips, it's all in the lips.
And it's the same thing with
"What's Love Got To Do With It,"
when she's talking to her friend.
And her friend is like not messing around
with Laurence Fishburne's character, Ike Turner.
She's not dealing with him being abusive.
And she's like, you ain't got to hit me, but watch.
And then Angela Bassett's like, it's okay.
It's okay.
I'm sure that that's probably what they were trying to like
remember when they must have searched that.
Who is Keke Palmer in "Big Mouth?"
I love doing the show "Big Mouth."
It's so much fun.
So my character is Rochelle.
And she starts out as a love bug,
but then she has some complications,
and turns into a hate worm.
I don't wanna tell you too much about the show,
but get into it.
It has a lot of edge to it as well.
Who did Keke Palmer play in "Hustlers?"
In "Hustlers" I played Mercedes,
who's one of the strippers in the club
that was helping to, unfortunately, drug these men
and rob 'em for all they cash, with Jennifer Lopez.
And I really just loved hanging out with the girls.
I loved working with Jennifer Lopez.
Who does Keke Palmer play in "Human Resources?"
This is funny 'cause I just told you guys.
So I play the same character in "Big Mouth"
as I do in "Human Resources," which is kind of cool
'cause it's, in the acting world,
it's kind of like they gave me like a little promotion.
They liked what I did in "Big Mouth."
And so when they did "Human Resources"
they thought to like open up my character's storyline,
and bring her into the "Human Resources,"
their next show that they ended up doing with Netflix.
So I thought that was just like so cool.
'Cause I love working with them too.
And I'm glad that my character got to grow
into their next property.
So, it's great.
Keke Palmer as a kid.
Oh, so they must have been searching up pictures.
I'm not gonna hold you.
I was cute.
I was a cute kid.
You know I had a little charisma.
So hopefully they got some cool pictures from images.
Keke Palmer as a kid.
Yeah, okay, I'm not mad at it.
Keke Palmer best friend.
You gonna find some people I don't rock with no more,
so careful with this one.
It ain't whoever you finding online,
I'm gonna tell you that right now.
So, scratch that.
Okay, Keke Palmer fun facts.
So you're probably gonna find out that I'm a Virgo,
Cancer rising, Sagittarius moon.
That's where the pizazz comes in.
From Illinois, started in the industry very young.
I don't love long walks on the beach
because I don't like when sand gets in my booty crack.
I love going to amusement parks.
It's a lot of fun.
I'm more of a salty person, than sweet.
Don't have a sweet tooth, definitely have a salty tooth.
And my favorite food is like, probably number one,
sushi, love Japanese food.
Very top of the list.
Used to be Italian, but the carbs, honey.
I turned 28, we holding back.
Okay, Keke Palmer, best songs.
I've gone through some phases in music.
So I mean, we can go from here to there.
I mean I'll top line some of my favorite songs of mine.
Number one would be "I Don't Belong to You."
It's one of my favorite songs of mine.
I wrote it when I was a 21, 22.
It was me really just like trying to focus
on how to express coming into my own,
and definitely shedding other people's thoughts of me.
Which as a child entertainer can be quite a task, honey.
Because everybody always tries to tell you
who you're gonna be, and wanna keep you
in the identity they see for you.
Which is kind of sweet that they care so much,
but it's also like, honey, I don't belong to you.
So I love that song because that's a part of me
like finding myself and stepping into my own autonomy.
Then I would say "Bottoms Up," honey.
Because "Bottoms Up" was a sleeper hit
when we was kids, Miss Keke P.
Miss Keke P. was looking extra flossy, and I just love that.
I actually did like a remake
to "Bottoms Up" not too long ago.
And that was just really fun to go down memory lane,
and just be like, you know, like, yes.
Let's see "Bottoms Up" as an adult and get into that vibe.
Keke Palmer favorite things.
My favorite, favorite, favorite, favorite thing
is like going to the movies,
especially like experiential movie experiences.
Like for instance, boat cinema.
I love going, like there's, you can get on a boat
in a little lake in California, and you can watch movies.
I love doing that.
Also I love rooftop cinema, drive in, you can do anywhere.
It's just a drive in movie theater.
Very classic.
I love walking and hanging out in a mall.
Man, I love going to this mall down the street.
And I'm not gonna tell y'all where it's at
'cause it's my mall.
I just walk around, I get a little Panda Express.
And then I go and dance DDR till my damn heels fall off.
I just be up in there.
Sometimes the other guys be taking up the damn DDR
and I gotta find another game in the arcade.
Man, that's a popular game.
But I be just Dance Dance Revolutioning
all the way up and through that place.
And then I also love sitting at home and just watching TV.
Oh my gosh, I'm such a TV girl.
I just love just sitting back watching TV,
ordering Door Dash, and just living my life.
It's a blast.
Okay, does Keke Palmer?
This could get crazy 'cause what are they
wondering if I'm does-ing?
I wonder what this is?
Okay, does Keke Palmer have tattoos?
So I've got a bunch.
I got like pyramids on the back of my neck
in representation of the Kush empire,
the first civilization, very interested in that.
Especially as a, you go through the identity thing,
and you're like from 18 to, I mean, for all your life,
but definitely like 18 to like 22,
I was like, who am I?
What does it mean to be Black in America?
What does it mean to be Black in Africa?
What is the diaspora?
So I went through that and I loved it.
I live for everything I learned and I'm continuing to learn.
And then I have a bunch of just like little ones.
I have a "Goonies" one on my foot with my siblings.
It says Goonies never say die.
Because my siblings and I, we just always,
we loved that movie growing up, Steven Spielberg is awesome.
And I got a big piece on my side,
which is just flowers and stuff representing my femininity.
But I have a lot.
I like tattoos, I think they're cool.
Does Keke Palmer have a twin?
Man, let me tell you something.
My mama have a twin.
My daddy have a twin.
And they had twins.
It just wasn't me.
My brother and sister, they twins, man.
I'm very jealous of them because can you imagine a world
where we have two Keke Palmers?
Keke and Tete.
Whoa.
And by the way, ever since the metaverse got popping off,
apparently I can have about 12 Kekes.
So be ready.
Does Keke Palmer wear glasses?
I do, oh my gosh.
I wear glasses, and now I've been walking
around lately wearing two glasses.
Let me tell y'all something.
For all my spiritual heads out there
that's always looking for like a different meditation vibe,
don't ever do the sun gazing, honey.
I did sun gazing in Joshua Tree
and I done sunburned my retina,
playing around trying to play Gandhi and shit.
So be careful with that sun, the UVs and the global warming,
you got to protect those eyes.
Because now I'm seeing double and stuff.
My astigmatism is like going left.
The doctor said he can't even promise me it'll heal.
So I just been praying, because damn.
So yeah, my eyes been bad since I was eight.
And everybody in my family wear glasses.
Hopefully I didn't do too much to mess it up.
Pray for me.
Well, all could say is like, this was a lot of fun.
Going down this Google memory lane
with you guys at Wired has been just very enjoyable.
So I look forward to the next time we get to do this again.
And thanks for having me.