Keke Palmer on TIME's 100 Most Influential People (2026)

[JamesG]

Keke Palmer
by Brian Grazer (Oscar and Emmy-winning Producer)





Keke Palmer is the kind of talent you spend a career hoping to find. Every so often, someone arrives with that rare combination—instinct, intelligence, presence—and it stops you. That is Keke Palmer.

When I asked Keke to star in The ’Burbs, I gave her almost nothing, only a loose idea of the role. Most actors need more, but not Keke. She caught it in the air and immediately built something vivid, large, and alive. She found the heartbeat. Then she deepened it, shaped it, and made it more human.



Audiences connect to her depth, heart, and authenticity. After shooting only two episodes with her we knew we wanted her to bring those same qualities—and impeccable sense of comedy—to our next project, Spaceballs 2.

Keke doesn’t wait to be told, she decides. She doesn’t just reflect the moment, she creates it. We are just lucky to be watching.

https://time.com/collection/100-most...6/keke-palmer/