Keke Palmer
Birthdate: August 26, 1993 (32 Years Old)
Birthplace: Harvey, Illinois, USA
Actor-singer Keke Palmer (birthname: Lauren Keyana Palmer) has fluidly balanced her acting and singing careers, devoting much of her feature film work to voice-acting for major animated movies, including Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story spinoff, Lightyear (2022), with Taika Waititi, Chris Evans, Dale Soules, and Peter Sohn.
Soon after appearing in a local Chicago stage production of The Lion King, Keke Palmer scored her first screen credit at ten years old in Barbershop 2: Back in Business, followed in 2006 by the starring role in Doug Atchison’s Akeelah and the Bee and a member of the ensemble in Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion. She joined Samuel L. Jackson, Ed Harris, and Eva Mendes in Renny Harlin’s Cleaner (2007), and co-starred with Ice Cube in The Longshots (2008). Palmer’s many voice-acting credits in animation include Unstable Fables: Tortoise vs. Hare (2008), the two Ice Age sequels Continental Draft (2012) and Collision Course (2016), as well as Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom (2012) and Winx Club 3D: Magical Adventure (2013).
Keke Palmer was able to combine her acting and singing chops in Todd Graff’s Gospel-styled musical, Joyful Noise (2012), with Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, and Courtney B. Vance. Palmer co-starred in Malik Vitthal’s Imperial Dreams (2014), winner of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival audience award. Palmer joined producer Queen Latifah for Jamal Hill’s ensemble drama, Brotherly Love (2015), and continued her starring involvement in movies by independent filmmakers with Christine Crokos and her Pimp (2018). Palmer gained more fame as a co-star with Jennifer Lopez in Lorene Scafaria’s crime thriller, Hustlers (2019).
A busy 2022 for Keke Palmer, the movie star, was led by her role as Jill in Jordan Peele’s science fiction/horror/thriller/Western, Nope, with Daniel Kaluuya and Steven Yeun; as the voice of Izzy in Lightyear; and as the title role in the slave drama (set in the 1970s!), Alice, with Common and Jonny Lee Miller. Palmer was set to co-star with Bill Murray and Seth Rogen in Aziz Ansari’s Being Mortal (2023) for Searchlight. However, production was suspended in April 2022 because of a complaint of inappropriate behavior against Murray.
Palmer led the voice cast of Paramount Animation’s and director/co-writer David Soren’s animated musical comedy, Under the Boardwalk (2023), co-starring voice actors Michael Cera, Bobby Cannavale, Russell Brand, John Magaro, and Steven Van Zandt, and released in a limited window by Paramount Pictures. Palmer co-starred with SZA in an acclaimed performance in the TriStar Pictures-backed comedy, One of Them Days (2025), directed by Lawrence Lamont and written by Syreeta Singleton, with Vanessa Bell Calloway, Lil Rel Howery, Katt Williams and Maude Apatow, produced (in part) by Issa Rae and delivering strong reviews and box office nearing $52 million (based on estimated costs) for Sony Pictures Releasing; Palmer reunited with co-star SZA, director Lamont and writer Singleton for Sony/TriStar’s sequel, One of Them Days 2 (date to be announced).
Keke Palmer led the sprawling cast of director/writer Boots Riley’s surrealist crime comedy, I Love Roosters (2026), co-starring the ensemble of Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza Gonzalez, LaKeith Stanfield, Will Poulter, Don Cheadle and Demi Moore, produced by Ryder Picture Company/Annapurna Pictures/Savage Rose Films and which premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival before a wide release by Neon (U.S.-Canada)/Focus Features and Universal Pictures (International). Palmer joined another large ensemble for the third animated Rovio Entertainment franchise entry, The Angry Birds Movie 3 (2026), co-starring the voice cast of Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Emma Myers, Rachel Bloom, Danny McBride, Psalm West, Anthony Padilla, Marcello Hernandez, and Tim Robinson under John Rice’s direction, and released by Paramount Pictures.
Palmer was part of the new cast in the Mel Brooks-created sequel, Spaceballs: The New One (2027), starring lead producer Brooks, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Josh Gad (who co-wrote and produced) and Lewis Pullman under Josh Greenbaum’s direction, co-written by Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit, backed by MGM/Imagine Entertainment/Brooksfilms and released by Amazon MGM Studios.
Personal life
Born in the Chicago southside community of Harvey, Keke Palmer was raised by teacher Sharon Palmer and father Lawrence Palmer, who works in a factory and volunteers as a Catholic deacon. Her parents, who met each other in drama school, encouraged daughter Keke’s interests in singing and acting. Palmer has identified herself as sexually and gender fluid. She reported in 2020 that she suffered from polycystic ovary syndrome. Her height is 5’ 6”.
Keke Palmer Movies
Actor
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Previous (11)
- 2025 |
One of Them Days
asDreux
When best friends and roommates Dreux and Alyssa discover Alyssa's boyfriend has blown their rent money, the duo finds themselves going to extremes in a race against the clock to avoid eviction and keep their friendship intact.
- 2025 |
Good Fortune
asElena
A well-meaning but rather inept angel named Gabriel meddles in the lives of a struggling gig worker and a wealthy venture capitalist.
- 2022 |
- 2022 |
- 2022 |
- 2019 |
- 2016 |
Ice Age: Collision Course
asPeaches
When Scrat's acorn sends an asteroid to Earth, the Herd must find a way to stop the asteroid from hitting Earth with the help of a returning friend.
- -- | Joyful Noiseas Olivia Hill
- -- | as Olivia Hill
- -- | as Corvette
- -- | The Burbsas Samira Fisher
Facts About Keke Palmer
Theater Landmark: Keke Palmer is not only the youngest woman to perform Cinderella on Broadway, but she was also the first Black woman to do so.
Preparation: In preparation for The Longshots (2008), Palmer trained for seven weeks with pro quarterbacks.
Try, Try Again: Determined to land the role of a spelling bee champ, Keke Palmer auditioned five times for Akeelah and the Bee until she got the part.
Recording Star: As a recording artist, Palmer has created two albums and 28 singles.
