Keke Palmer is opening up about the racist remarks one of her co-stars allegedly spewed at her on set–and fans already have a theory about who it is.
Source: TVLine / Getty
In the pages of her memoir, Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative, which is set to be released on Nov. 19, Palmer talks about her experience on the set of Ryan Murphy’s Scream Queens.
According to the Los Angeles Times, one of her co-stars–whom she referred to by the pseudonym “Brenda”–lashed out at Palmer after Brenda got upset over “a clash with a colleague.”
When the Nope actress attempted to diffuse the situation, telling her fellow actors they should “have fun and respect each other,” Brenda allegedly said, “Keke, literally, just don’t. Who do you think you are? Martin F***ing Luther King?”
During her interview with the LA Times published on Nov. 10, Palmer declined to reveal her co-star’s identity, insisting she wanted to “take the power out of [Brenda’s] words.”
“It was such a weighted thing that she said, but I didn’t allow that weight to be projected on me, because I know who I am,” Keke said. “I’m not no victim. That’s not my storyline, sweetie. I don’t care what her ass said. If I allow what she said to cripple me, then she would.”
Palmer starred in the series alongside Emma Roberts, Lea Michele, Abigail Breslin, and Billie Lourd. Shortly after Keke’s interview was published, fans took to social media to make their guesses about which actress allegedly made the remark–and the consensus came very quickly.
After checking Palmer’s Instagram, fans noticed that she still follows Roberts, Breslin and Lourd on Instagram, leaving out only one co-star: Lea Michele. Those suspicions were only solidified by the fact that there have already been allegations of racism against Michele on the set of Glee.
Others have also pointed out that in the second season of Scream Queens, Palmer and Michele had very few scenes between them, which could have been because of a clash during season one. They also didn’t do any press together, furthering suspicions.
Fans are also pulling up Keke’s appearance on Watch What Happens Live from 2021, where she admits she hasn’t talked to Lea “in a minute” and asks where she is while looking around the room.
Though some have speculated that the comment could have also come from Emma Roberts, who also doesn’t have the best on-set reputation, the evidence is still pointing heavily toward Michele.
This is all just speculation, of course.
Lea Michele has yet to respond to the fan accusations.