Keke Palmer’s new TED Talk about being the breadwinner in her family reflects on her rise to fame — and the realization that she needed to rest.
The actress' new nearly 13-minute talk goes in depth about the pitfalls of fame and fortune that many don’t see, beginning with how her life began to change after accepting childhood roles like Akeelah in Akeelah and the Bee.
“Suddenly, we had access to a life that didn’t require constant vigilance,” she said. Each opportunity gave way to a world we never thought e was possible. We no longer shared rooms. We had a car that worked. My parents were no longer stressed about bills or the ability to get the best education for me and my siblings.”
Palmer then explained how starring in Tru Jackson, VP was a success on paper, but also stressful due to what it signified. “By the time I landed my own TV show, I was undoubtedly the breadwinner,” she said. “There was no time for outside activities, no time for vocation, no time for pause. As the pressure became greater, performing was the safest way to be free.”
It’s at that point that Palmer explained how her identity as “Keke Palmer” became a character that she could hide in. Someone nice, funny, and approachable that she called a “small container that my full range could exist inside of without overwhelming anyone.”
A turning point for her to realize how the existence of Keke Palmer and her many opportunities was impacting her came from when her son, Leodis, was upset after dressing up for Halloween. The actress claimed that he was exhausted and crying because of his tiredness, which she later exhibited to her own mother when she was tired.
That interaction inspired Palmer to rest like she’d told her son to, because she realized that she never stopped working for more because she didn’t know that she wasn’t in survival mode anymore. “You might think you need to earn more, prove more, collect one more opportunity,” she said. “In reality, you don’t need another achievement, you need a break.”
Palmer wrapped up her TED Talk with the reintroduction of her birth name. “My name is Lauren Kiana Palmer, and I’m the CEO of the Keke Palmer company,” she explained. “A company I created out of nothing with my mother, my father, and my three siblings.”
Back in 2024, Palmer spoke about how when she was in a rough patch with her parents, she received some unexpected advice from Will Smith. When the actress was 17 years old, she spoke to a lawyer about getting emancipated from her parents, but explained how the lawyer, who was close with Smith, managed to get the actor to call her and walk her away from making a drastic decision.
"'Hey, Keke. It's Will. We're over here doing Karate Kid with Jaden, and I just want to let you know that I talked to Ken [her lawyer],'" Palmer recounted. "'He let me know everything you're going through, and I want you to know sometimes it's hard being the first, but you'll get through 'Just keep staying focused, love on your family, and y'all gonna be good.'"
