After nearly two decades in Hollywood,Keke Palmerhas built an impressive résumé that includes movies, television, music, books andBroadway.
The 28-year-old actress — whose latest project is voicing an aspiring space ranger in the upcomingToy Storyspinoff filmLightyear— tells PEOPLE she’s emulating the careers of several boldface names.
“We got a dash ofOprahin there. We got a dash ofQueen Latifah. We got a dash ofRon Howard. We got a dash ofJordan Peele. I’m trying to just hodgepodge it all. A littleDick Clarktoo. Maybe a littleDesi Arnaz,” she says. “Tyler Perryfor sure. A littleWalt Disneyas well.”
Speaking of Perry, who cast a young Palmer in his 2006 filmMadea’s Family Reunion, he tells PEOPLEthat he remembers her dedication and drive back when she was a child actor.
“I’m a machine when I’m working,” says Perry, 52, “and she was a kid and stayed in lock step.”
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Keke Palmer.Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Palmer’s parents recognized their daughter’s boundless energy early on and helped steer her toward Hollywood.
“I was one of those kids that was always bouncing off the walls, and I think my parents were like, ‘She’s a little crazy, but she’s gifted. Let’s try to figure out how to help her channel this.’ For me, that was the entertainment industry,” continues Palmer. “In this space, my crazy is welcome.”
Indeed, over the past 18 years, since her first role as Latifah’s niece in the 2004 movieBarbershop 2: Back in Business, Palmer has been an in-demand performer, acting in movies likeAkeelah and the Beeand theJennifer LopezhitHustlers, as well as television shows including the Nickelodeon seriesTrue Jackson VPand the Fox horror-comedyScream Queens.
“I definitely did slide into his DMs, but Jordan is, like much to be expected, not on Instagram all day and during the night. So he never even saw that direct message,” says Palmer, who worked with the 43-year-old filmmaker a decade ago on an episode ofKey & Peele.
Keke Palmer inNope(2022).Universal Pictures
Though Peele never read the note, he coincidentally wanted to collaborate with Palmer again anyway. “Him continuing to see my work is what manifested my opportunity withNope,” she continues.
When Palmer was growing up, her mom Sharon often repeated the phrase, “Closed mouths don’t get fed,” so the actress learned early on to “seize the day,” she says.
And she’s doing just that. Aside from her movie roles this summer, Palmer also served as a judge on season 3 of the voguing competition seriesLegendaryon HBO Max and will host NBC’s reboot of the classic game showPasswordin August.
“You never want to get stagnant,” Palmer says of staying diversified. “I love all of the stuff.”
Lightyearpremieres in theaters June 17.Nopepremieres in theaters July 22.
For more from Keke Palmer, pick up this week’s issue ofPEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.
source: people.com
