Keke Palmer has been a shining star in entertainment since childhood, and she credited Tyler Perry’s early support for helping her career.
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At age 11, Palmer landed a pivotal role in Tyler Perry‘s Madea’s Family Reunion, playing Nikki, Madea’s foster daughter. This role not only showcased Palmer’s immense talent but also marked the beginning of a cherished relationship with Perry, who has been a significant influence on her career.
In a recent episode of her podcast, Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, the multi-talented actress reminisced about her time on the set of Madea’s Family Reunion. Palmer described the experience as feeling like being part of a family. The cast and crew were incredibly supportive, creating a nurturing environment for the young actress.
“Everybody felt like my aunties and uncles and cousins and just family and friends,” Palmer expressed to Perry. “That was a great experience.”
Palmer didn’t just highlight the familial atmosphere on set. She also expressed profound gratitude for Tyler Perry’s generosity. Perry went above and beyond to ensure that Palmer was fairly compensated for her work on the film.
“That was the first time that I have ever been in a movie, and it introduced this for me in business,” Palmer said. “And I thank you so much for this, where whatever the movie did you gave me extra money in the backend and that’s big.”
She continued, “I really wanted to point that out because that’s not something that people are always doing, and that was very early on in my career. I was no big name or anything like that. It was not necessarily something that was my birthright, but for that to happen in that movie and for it to have been such a success — that extra money, what it did for my family and how it allowed me to maintain my time in California, moving from Chicago, (IL). I mean we had nothing, and for you to do that it was just really amazing so I just wanted to mention that ‘cause I never forgot that.”
His efforts extended beyond the paycheck; Perry’s mentorship and guidance provided Palmer with invaluable insights into the film industry.
Keke Palmer’s Booked And Busy Winning Streak After Madea’s Family Reunion
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Tyler Perry’s early support laid a strong foundation for Palmer’s career. After Madea’s Family Reunion, Palmer went on to star in True Jackson, VP, where she earned $20,000 per episode, making her the fourth-highest-paid child star on television at the time according to The Richest. Her success on Nickelodeon was just the beginning.
Fast-forward to today, Palmer is a media mogul at the age of 30. She has founded KeyTV, a digital network that provides a platform for Black and brown creators. However, her accomplishments don’t stop there; she hosted the talk show Just Keke in 2014, and co-hosted Strahan, Sara and Keke from 2019 to 2020, earning a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for her work.
Currently, Palmer hosts the revival of the game show Password, for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award. She is also an author, a singer, and a new mom, adding even more accolades to her impressive resume. One thing is for sure: Keke Palmer is a force to be reckoned with, and she’s only just begun her journey.