Keke Palmer, born Lauren Keyana Palmer on August 26, 1993, in Harvey, Illinois, is an American actress, singer, and television personality. She began her career as a child actress, making her film debut in "Barbershop 2: Back in Business" (2004) and gaining recognition for her role in "The Wool Cap" (2004). 

Her breakthrough came with her performance as Akeelah Anderson in the critically acclaimed film "Akeelah and the Bee" (2006), which earned her several awards and nominations.

Her career continued to flourish with roles in films such as "Madea's Family Reunion" (2006), "Jump In!" (2007), "The Longshots" (2008), and "Shrink" (2009). She also released her debut studio album, "So Uncool," in 2007. 

Keke Palmer rose to prominence on Nickelodeon, playing the title character in the sitcom "True Jackson, VP" (2008-2011), and providing the voice of Aisha in the Nickelodeon revival of "Winx Club" (2011-2014). She headlined the television film "Rags" (2012) and transitioned to mainstream roles with the VH1 biographical film "CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story" (2013). She made her Broadway debut as Ella in "Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella" (2014-2015).

In recent years, she has starred in the Fox satirical horror series "Scream Queens" (2015-2016), the Epix drama series "Berlin Station" (2017-2019), and the slasher series "Scream" (2019). Her film roles include "Animal" (2014), "Pimp" (2018), "Hustlers" (2019), and "Nope" (2022), with the latter earning her critical acclaim. 

Keke Palmer has also hosted the talk shows "Just Keke" (2014) and "Strahan, Sara and Keke" (2019-2020), as well as the game show "Password" since 2022. She released her second book, "Master of Me," a hybrid memoir and self-help manual, in 2024.

Her personal life has been marked by her openness about her struggles with anxiety, depression, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). She has been a vocal advocate for mental health awareness, LGBTQ+ rights, and racial equality. 

Keke Palmer has a son, Leodis Andrellton Jackson, with her ex-boyfriend Darius Jackson. The couple began dating in June 2021 and welcomed their son in February 2023. They split in October 2023, and she received a temporary restraining order against Jackson in November of that year.

Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards and nominations. She has won two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Daytime Emmy Award nomination, and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. She has also been recognized with several NAACP Image Awards, including Entertainer of the Year in 2025.