Keke Palmer is offering a glimpse on the challenges confronted by little one actors.
On a Nov. 20 episode of Shannon Sharpe’s “Club Shay Shay” podcast, Palmer mentioned that her first main on-screen kiss — with fellow actor Corbin Bleu within the 2007 Disney movie “Jump In!” — felt bizarre.
“How did that go over with your parents?” Sharpe requested.
“It was actually a big thing for all of us, because I was 12 and Corbin was 17,” Palmer mentioned.
Though Bleu sought to make her really feel comfy by holding her hand, Palmer mentioned that he gave off a “brother vibe,” which added to the strangeness of the scenario.
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“I remember I had a call with my agent, and I was like: ‘I’m scared about this. This is weird,’” she advised Sharpe. In accordance with Palmer, her agent appeared to dismiss these issues by saying that an underage Meagan Good had kissed an grownup Samuel L. Jackson within the 1997 film “Eve’s Bayou.”
“I was just like, ‘Huh?’” Palmer mentioned, remembering that she questioned what she was “supposed to do with that” info.
She advised Sharpe, laughing, “I feel like that was weird, too!”
The “Akeelah and the Bee” star famous that such conditions can lead younger actors to query the separation between their craft and their private lives.
“There’s a weird thing that happens with kid entertainers, where we have to literally dissociate so much as an adult would in the workplace, in ways that’s not normal or common,” Palmer mentioned. She went on to say that she wished “there was more therapy for kid entertainers on set.”
Palmer famous that productions might make use of intimacy coaches, who intention to make sure the consolation and security of performers in delicate scenes. However she mentioned younger actors should surprise, “Is this my real-life experience, or is this someone else?”
Sharpe requested “how soon” Palmer was “able to delineate” between her actuality as a baby and her work as an actor.
“That took some time. … There would be an element of method acting,” Palmer mentioned. She then reminisced about starring within the film “Joyful Noise” with Queen Latifah, recalling how, as a baby actor, she needed to pull from “dark things” in her life to get into character.
However as Palmer’s gotten older and had extra expertise, she mentioned: “I’ve been able to separate myself in other ways. … I moved away from California for a while.” The actor mentioned her experiences on Broadway at age 21 additionally helped mildew her into the performer and individual she is now.
And she or he had some assist getting there. Throughout a latest look on the podcast “The Toast,” Palmer recalled how in her late teenagers she obtained a message from actor Will Smith that sought to encourage her in her profession. She described looking for counsel from an legal professional when her relationship along with her mother and father grew to become strained amid her stardom — and the touching phrases from Smith that helped information her.
“Hey, Keke. It’s Will,” his message mentioned, in accordance with Palmer. “I just want to let you know I talked to [your 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.”
Palmer mentioned this recommendation may apply to not solely little one entertainers, however others who’re “firsts” of their household — like the primary one to go to varsity, or the primary to get married.
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Palmer added that Smith advised her to “just keep staying focused, love on your family and y’all going to be good.”
