Keke Palmer is a multi-talented entertainer who made her acting debut in 2004 in Barbershop 2: Back in Business. She became a prominent child actress, appearing in Disney Channel movies such as Jump In! and Madea's Family Reunion. Due to her success in these roles, she would go on to portray the titular character in the popular sitcom True Jackson, VIP on Nickelodeon as well as headlining her own film on the channel, Rags.
Palmer would then transition into more mature roles, appearing in TV shows, such as Scream Queens, and in films like Hustlers. Palmer recently received her first Emmy Award, proving her success as an entertainer. What's more, she is currently set to star in both Jordan Peele’s supernatural horror Nope alongside Daniel Kaluuya and Steven Yeun and in Alice, an upcoming revenge thriller, opposite Jonny Lee Miller. Until then, here’s a look at Keke Palmer's best performances, ranked.
8 Scream: Resurrection
Scream needs no introduction, especially after the initial film, which was directed by Wes Craven and released in 1996, was a huge success and sparked the beginning of the huge franchise. The anthology TV series of the same name takes inspiration from the original movie, following a series of murders in the fictional town of Lakewood and subsequent investigations into whom the Ghostface killers are. The third season was rebooted by MTV and was titled Scream: Resurrection, featuring a cast which included RJ Cyler, Jessica Sula, C.J. Wallace, and Tyga in leading roles. Keke Palmer starred as Kym, a student committed to social activism, and her performance helped elevate the series into an enjoyable watch.
7 Pimp
Keke Palmer took the leading role in Christine Crokos’ 2018 Pimp as Wednesday, a woman pimp who learned what she knows from her dad and is now left looking after her mum and girlfriend. Her co-stars include Vanessa Morgan and Edi Gathegi, and it’s a different role than her usual and showcases her abilities playing different characters.
6 Ice Age: Continental Drift
Keke Palmer proved she was a successful voice actress when she starred in the Ice Age franchise, firstly with Ice Age: Continental Drift in 2012. The film was the fourth instillment in the massively successful Ice Age franchise. The film was directed by Steve Martino and Michael Thurmeier. Palmer joins the franchise as Peaches, who is Manny and Ellie’s daughter, becoming a large addition to the franchise. It was a huge blockbuster success, and Palmer would reprise the role in 2016 for Ice Age: Collision Course.
5 Keke Palmer's Turnt Up with the Taylors
Keke Palmer brought her talents to a one-woman Facebook show with Keke Palmer's Turnt Up with the Taylors. The series premiered on Facebook Watch and follows a dysfunctional family with their own reality show where all the characters are played by Palmer. The series was very well received, and earned Palmer her first Emmy Award.
4 True Jackson, VP
True Jackson, VP aired on Nickelodeon from 2008-2011 with Keke Palmer as the leading role, True Jackson. Her character is a teenager who serves as the Vice President of the fashion department at the fictional Mad Style. The series was a huge success for the network and was responsible for launching Palmer into the mainstream.
3 Akeelah and the Bee
Doug Atchison’s 2006 American drama film Akeelah and the Bee depicts the story of Akeelah who competes in Scripps National Spelling Bee. Keke Palmer plays Akeelah, and her mother is played by Angela Bassett. The film came to fruition after Atchison observed how most participants of the spelling bee came from different backgrounds, making him want to challenge this. It’s an excellent film and Palmer gives an incredible performance even early in her career.
2 Hustlers
2019’s Hustlers was directed by Lorene Scafaria and was based on a New York Magazine article ‘The Hustlers at Scores’ by Jessica Pressler. It was an incredible box office success and featured an all-star cast including Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles, Lili Reinhart, Lizzo, and Cardi B. The film follows a group of strippers in New York, who begin drugging that stock traders and CEOs that visit their club in order to use their credit cards and steal money. Keke Palmer plays Mercedes who works at the strip club and her performance adds life and blends well with the already-dynamic cast.
1 Scream Queens
Keke Palmer starred in a main role in Ryan Murphy’s Scream Queens, which ran from 2015-2016. The series is a satirical black comedy slasher that ran for two series and follows a bunch of over-the-top characters as they try to de-mask a killer who terrorizes different locations. Keke Palmer plays Zaday Williams and her humorous acting works perfectly with the format of the show. The series is genuinely hilarious and is in talks to be renewed for a new third season.