Will Smith changed Keke Palmer’s life with a voicemail.
Keke Palmer revealed her life was changed by a voicemail from Will Smith
The ‘Nope’ actress found fame as a child, with her breakthrough role coming in ‘Akeelah and the Bee’ in 2006 when she was 13 years old, and in the following years, she contemplated seeking emancipation from her parents, Sharon and Larry, as she felt isolated but her lawyer urged her to consider therapy instead, and eventually, the ‘Men in Black’ actor called to offer her some advice.
She recalled on ‘The Toast’ podcast: “Couple of weeks go by and I’m on the set of ‘True Jackson, VP’, and I get a call from this like really, really obscure number. And I’m like what? Like this is weird, I’m not answering this.”
When she eventually checked her voicemail, Keke discovered the mystery caller had been the 56-year-old actor.
Impersonating Will, she said: “Hey, Keke. It’s Will. We’re over here doing ‘Karate Kid’ with Jayden.
“I just want to let you know that I talked to [her lawyer]. He let me know everything you’re going through, and I want you to know sometimes it’s hard being the first, but you’ll get through.
“Just keep staying focused, love all your family, and y’all going to be good.”
She added that it was “so insane” to receive the message, but it was one of the reasons why she decided not to seek emancipation.
The ‘Hustlers’ actress is thankful for all the guidance she’s received from the people around her, particularly when she’s had to venture into the unknown.
She said: “It’s something that happens when you’re stepping out, and you could be a child entertainer, or you could be the first person in your family to go to college, or the first person in your family to get married.
“There’s so many firsts that can happen as the generations of your family continue to grow and evolve.
“And this was a difficult thing for me that I felt meant that I had to throw my family away.
“I’ve always had, I think a lot of people — whether they’re notable names or they’re my attorney — that I had a good community, that also my parents made sure I was around, that would encourage community and not like dissension and us breaking apart.”
And Keke – who has son Leodis, 21 months, with former partner Darius Jackson – admitted things can be particularly difficult for child stars.
She added: “I think [that] happens when you’re a kid entertainer because people want to make money off of you, and don’t want you close to your family.”