The Best Keke Palmer Movies & TV Shows, Ranked
Keke Palmer made her acting debut at 9 years old in Barbershop 2: Back to Business (2004), and since then, she has become a leading woman in a variety of TV shows and movies. Many people, myself included, will have met Keke when she became a teen icon during the peak of Disney Channel and Nickelodeon in the early 2000s. That long-lasting relationship with Palmer’s work makes watching her evolution on the big and small screens all the more rewarding.
Across her filmography, Palmer proves herself capable of intricate character studies across genres. She now stars in Peacock’s The ‘Burbs (2026), the TV adaptation of The ‘Burbs (1989), opposite Jack Whitehall. Not only does she lead the series as Samira Fisher, but Palmer also executive produces the project. The following projects also prove that Keke Palmer’s stardom only continues to rise. You can watch these movies and TV shows on Hulu, Prime Video, and more!
Grease: Live may not be the first or last project that people consider when discussing Keke Palmer’s work, but it deserves recognition. The television special brought a production of Grease (1978) to broadcast audiences. It was the first of its kind for FOX and a technical giant with its use of the Warner Bros studio lot and the inclusion of a live studio audience. For that reason, Grease: Live is for so many people: comedy, musical, production, and TV fans alike.
It brought a stage production and all the camaraderie that comes with it to audiences that may not be able to experience it otherwise. Palmer played the memorable Marty Maraschino, delivering a standout performance of “Freddy, My Love.” Grease: Live is for Palmer’s fans who enjoyed her warmth and incredible voice in Joyful Noise (2012), where she reunites with Queen Latifah. Essentially, don’t let this gem fly under the radar because it emphasizes that Keke Palmer is a multihyphenate, even when bringing the stage to the small screen.
Pimp is Keke Palmer’s breakout role in a drama, as far as I remember. As someone who grew up watching Palmer on screen, I remember checking this project out and realizing how mature it was for her. In that sense, Pimp tests what audiences expect of Palmer in her emotional range and her physicality in a role. She has real versatility in the leading role of Wednesday.
This movie is for those who enjoy grounded stories; it’s about everyday people in a heightened situation. It’s also an intense family drama. Palmer acts opposite the incredible Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, who plays Wednesday’s mother. There’s also a great romance at the heart of Pimp between Wednesday and her girlfriend, Nikki (Haley Ramm). Those elements work together to create a story about survival that may appeal to fans of Netflix’s Maid (2021) or vice versa.
Scream Queens (2015-2016) is a star-studded cult classic TV show for a reason. It tapped into the zeitgeist of the 2010s in ways few other shows, like Girls (2012-2017), have. Keke Palmer, who was a part of the ensemble as Zayday Williams in Season 1, became the lead opposite horror icon Jamie Lee Curtis in Season 2. That choice was smart because Palmer was one of the best parts of the show. Her character was the most likable in an ensemble of rather selfish characters, who didn’t last long enough on Scream Queens to leave the same mark.
The show moved its campy sense of humor from a college and sorority backdrop to a hospital between seasons. It’s a shame that the show didn’t have at least one more season to see how it would continue to evolve, presumably with Palmer still at the center. Then again, the desire to see Zaday, the Chanels, and more, again has manifested in theories that the characters will appear in another Ryan Murphy series: American Horror Story (2011). That, I would love to see.
I have a fondness and nostalgia for True Jackson, VP. On the one hand, it was the first time I saw Keke Palmer in anything. It’s probably why I ended up backtracking to Akeelah and the Bee (2006) and tuning in for Jump In! (2007). It was inspirational to see Palmer’s titular character become the VP of the Fashion Department at Mad Style at the age of 15. It was the equivalent of watching Miley Stewart live a double life as a pop star on Hannah Montana (2006-2011).
Relatedly, True Jackson, VP was one of Nickelodeon’s standout live-action, scripted series that rivaled Disney Channel’s programming. I was locked into both channels, and I imagine I wasn’t alone in that. With Palmer as the lead, this show was a feel-good time that even had me waiting to see what happened next between True and the company’s mailman, Jimmy. Needless to say, True Jackson, VP kick-started Palmer’s career, and now, it stands as a reminder that teen sitcoms don’t exist in the same abundance that they once did, and that’s a real shame.
Hustlers deserves more appreciation—full stop. This cast is full of scene stealers on their names alone: Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, and Cardi B. Then, they showcase their talent in some of the most dialed-in, chemistry-filled performances. Keke Palmer plays Mercedes in the knockout ensemble, holding her own like all the dynamic women in this movie.
It uses the characters’ connections to embrace their depth and nuances as they scam Wall Street’s richest out of their money. While so many other movies about the 2008 financial crisis—The Big Short (2015)—focus on the men, Hustlers turns the lens to women. It’s such a great watch for how it flips those expectations about who crime stories can be about. If you like Martin Scorsese’s GoodFellas (1990), Hustlers gives the subgenre a different perspective.
Alien invasion movies are not usually for me. I like my aliens in the form of Roswell (1999-2002) or Roswell, New Mexico (2019-2022). Nope pulled me in because I can’t stay away from a Jordan Peele movie, and I’m a fan of Keke Palmer’s work. Peele reunites with Get Out (2017) star Daniel Kaluuya in Nope. He plays OJ, the brother of Palmer’s Emerald Haywood.
These two characters are excellent foils for one another on the page and in their performances. Palmer’s Emerald often elevates the movie’s sense of humor without ever pulling me out of the movie’s drama. Nope really walks the tonal line while embracing horror’s ability to create inescapable tension. Movies like A Quiet Place (2018) really helped me appreciate that eerie element in a horror movie, and Nope does an excellent job at it, too.
Akeelah and the Bee is such an endearing and enduring movie that it entirely changed my understanding of the word “pulchritude.” That’s the word that the titular character, played by Keke Palmer, spells at the beginning and ending of the movie. The drama focuses on Akeelah’s efforts to win the fiercely competitive Scripps National Spelling Bee with the support of her mother, Tanya (Angela Bassett), and her coach, Dr. Larabee (Laurence Fishburne).
It sounds simple, but it’s anything but. If it were, it wouldn’t still make me cry when Dr. Larabee tells Akeelah to recite a Marianna Williamson quote. Akeelah and the Bee holds up with relevant themes about confidence and self-worth. It’s also a heartfelt coming-of-age story with the backdrop of a school, not unlike Dead Poets Society (1989). Ultimately, Akeelah and the Bee also stands out because it’s the first time that Keke Palmer leads a movie—and at 11 years old, no less. She’s always been an impressive talent, and this is one of many projects to prove so, which is why it takes the top spot on this list.
