Keke sat down to chat with ESSENCE.com about her life in the limelight and what else she’s planning for fun in the coming months.
ESSENCE.com: KeKe, you’re starring in the season premiere of “Degrassi.” Tell us about the show.
KEKE PALMER: “Degrassi” is a teen drama on Teen Nick. It’s like a teen soap opera because it’s very drama-filled. I’ve been a huge fan of the show for years. On the series, I have a connection with one of the main characters that people who are into the show will definitely be interested in seeing. Me and Sav have a little something going on… you have to watch and see!
ESSENCE.com: Ooh, we will definitely tune in to see what goes down! In “Degrassi” you’re playing yourself. What will that be like?
KEKE: It was very weird to think about me playing myself, so I tried not to think about it too much. I said to myself, ‘Just think about the end goal and being you.’ So I just tried to be relaxed and just do it.
ESSENCE.com: Speaking of being relaxed, you’ve done so much at such a young age. How do you manage to do it all?
KEKE: Thank you. It’s due to my family, upbringing and the foundation that my parents laid for me before I even started acting. I was blessed to have good parents and good faith installed in me at a young age. I also pray, continue to work hard and stay focused.
ESSENCE.com: You also have an hour-long “True Jackson, VP” movie special coming up in late August. How excited are you about that?
KEKE: I’m so excited! This special is one of the funniest episodes I’ve ever done and it’s action-packed.
ESSENCE.com: Action-packed seems to sum up your life right now! You also have a birthday coming up. What do you want to do just for fun this summer?
KEKE: I’ve been going to the beach a lot and just hanging out with friends. As far as my birthday, I would love to have a party. But I’m really excited about our family reunion trip in August. I miss my family so much and I get to back to Chicago to see everyone.
You can catch Keke in the season premiere of “Degrassi” tonight on Teen Nick at 9p.m. ET.