Compared to Zendaya, actress Keke Palmer reframes things on colorism

It is far from being her first role, yet Keke Palmer sees herself treated by the general public as if she came out of nowhere.

Are actresses Keke Palmer and Zendaya Coleman comparable?

Currently starring in Jordan Peele’s latest satirical horror film, Boo (released on July 22, 2022 in the United States and which will arrive in France on August 10), the 28-year-old actress has been compared, on Twitter in particular, to colleague Zendaya Coleman, 25. Even if they didn’t ask for anything, of course, and we might just rejoice that everyone is successful in their own way.

The two African American actresses have in common that they started out as child stars. Keke Palmer starred notably in the Nickelodeon sitcom, True Jacksonalready in 2008. As for Zendaya Coleman, she starred in the Disney Channel series, shake itwith Bella Thorne, since 2010.

However, Keke Palmer may have started his career a little earlier and it shows the extent of his talent (in particular in music, with three EPs, an album, three mixtapes and five appearances in film soundtracks), many media and people describe his interpretation in Boo as his first revelation.

Keke Palmer has long been a hit in film, TV, Broadway and music

This is why Keke Palmer believes this ignorance would be representative of colorism (which could be succinctly defined as the social tendency to devalue dark-skinned people in favor of lighter-skinned people, as a secondary damage of systemic racism). This is what the actress tweeted on July 25, 2022:

“A good example of colorism is believing that someone can compare me to someone. I’m the youngest talk show host in history. The first black woman to star in a Nickelodeon series. The youngest and first black woman to play Cinderella on Broadway. I am an incomparable talent. Honey, THIS is Keke Palmer.

I am a woman who has taken the lead since I was 11. I am credited with over 100 works and am currently the protagonist of an original screenplay which is film no. 1 at the box office, No. I’ve had a blessed career so far. I couldn’t ask for more, but God continues to surprise me. “

Keke Palmer, the exception that confirms the rule of colorism?

In fact, by its first weekend in the United States, Nope has already raised nearly $ 44 million, they note The Hollywood reporter. And Lauren Keyana Palmer with her full name is co-starring with British actor Daniel Kaluuya.

Keke Palmer seems to be saying that you can’t just compare her to Zendaya without taking into account the fact that they don’t have the same skin color. Because, although they are both African American actresses and singers, former child stars, the former is much darker than the latter. And this has an impact on the critical and public reception of their work: it is precisely one of the effects of colorism. Because there are few roles for black women in movies and series, much less for dark-skinned ones. The little that exists often turns out to be stereotyped. Keke Palmer becomes the exception that proves the rule.

Front page photo credit: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS