Actress Keke Palmer vamped up her sexiness in a recent spread for Rolling Out magazine. The “Crazy, Sexy, Cool” actress who takes on the role of ‘Chilli’ in the biopic of veteran R&B group TLC, dished on transitioning from a child star to an adult.
On growing up and proving she’s an adult:
“When people think of me initially, they remember me as ‘Akeelah [and the Bee].’ Sometimes it can be frustrating to be remembered at an age that you’ve outgrown. But at the same time, it’s never frustrated me to the point that I’ve wanted to lash out. I just take it one step at a time. I’ve been patient in letting people adapt to me and my growth.
“If anything, it makes you look even more like a kid! As an adult, you don’t have to go around saying, ‘Hey, I’m an adult!’ That would be like saying, ‘Guess what — I’m black!’ You know it already. I just [try to] constantly be a professional by asking for what I need in the right way. I feel like you have to tell people who you are, but you don’t have to be disrespectful about it. But you also don’t have to be a shrinking violet. For a long time, when I was younger, I would always act like a little kid and I would just [bow] down because I would never want to feel like I’m being disrespectful to someone.”
On balancing her personal and professional life:
“Sometimes my personal life takes a backseat. My job never takes a backseat. Sometimes I feel like my life is in shambles and I’ll still be doing my job. It’s unintentional.”
On following her dreams:
“I didn’t come from a lot. I had a lot of love and support from my family, but as far as money and that type of thing, I didn’t really have any of that. All I did was follow my dreams. If my fans take anything from me, I hope it would be that. It’s not just me being so special — they are too. They just haven’t realized it yet.”
