KeKe Palmer Says Her Younger Self "Deserved To Be Angry" After Growing Up As A Child Star

Keke Palmer says she wishes her younger self had known that it’s perfectly fine to feel emotions like anger and sadness.

During a recent cast interview for her new film *Good Fortune*, Palmer shared, “I think my younger self needed to hear that it’s really okay to be angry, and it’s really okay to be sad.” She explained that as a child, she often felt pressure to hide her deeper emotions and make things easier for everyone else. “As I’ve gotten older,” she added, “I realized somebody just needed to tell her, ‘You deserve to be angry sometimes. You deserve to be sad. Those are real emotions.’”

Palmer, now 32, began acting at just 10 years old with a small role in *Barbershop 2* (2004). Her breakout came two years later with *Akeelah and the Bee*, followed by her lead role in Nickelodeon’s *True Jackson, VP*, which made her a household name. The success of that show transformed her family’s life — prompting them to move to Los Angeles to support her growing career.

In a past interview with Shannon Sharpe, Palmer revealed that she became her family’s main source of income through acting. “My parents — at their best — made $40,000 a year growing up. I was making that a show,” she said. Her parents managed her earnings carefully, even setting allowances for both her and her sister. “My dad gave up his pension, and my mom gave up everything so she could travel with me,” she recalled.

Despite the heavy responsibility, Palmer said she accepted the role proudly. “I wore it like armor,” she said through tears. “I would do it again for my family.” Reflecting on her journey, she added, “I could be sad — but why? Look what I gained. I gained so much more than what I sacrificed.”

Palmer now stars alongside Aziz Ansari, Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, and Sandra Oh in *Good Fortune*, which centers on an angel named Gabriel who meddles in the lives of a struggling gig worker and a wealthy venture capitalist.

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