Actress Keke Palmer has said she doesn’t want to be compared to fellow actress Zendaya. A heated controversy about ‘colorism’ broke out on social networks when the Nope star’s Hollywood career was compared to Zendaya’s. Palmer highlighted her “unparalleled skill” in a series of tweets detailing her experience in the entertainment world.
On July 24, @NBAgladiator’s tweet went viral on social media. Despite the fact that they were both child stars, the user saw a clear contrast in how their careers developed. “This may be one of the clearest illustrations of how colorism works in Hollywood,” the tweet read.
The discussion was held after the great success of Keke Palmer in Jordan Peele’s latest horror film No. According to several netizens, this was the actress’ “breakthrough moment”. Fans, on the other hand, claim that the 28-year-old has been domesticated for years.
Palmer took to social media to respond to the growing conversation about colorism and the comparison of the two black actresses. She said she didn’t want to be the subject of that conversation.
Palmer said in a tweet:
“Believing that you can compare yourself to anyone is a wonderful example of colorism.” I am the youngest talk show host in history. The first black woman to star in her own Nickelodeon program, as well as the youngest and first Black Cinderella on Broadway. I have a skill unmatched. “This is Keke Palmer, honey.”
Actress Alice went on to say that she has been a “leading lady” since she was 11 and has had a “happy career” so far.
A great example of colorism is believing that I can compare myself to anyone. I am the youngest talk show host ever. The first black woman to star in her own show on Nickelodeon, the youngest and the first Black Cinderella on Broadway. I am an incomparable talent. Honey, THIS is Keke Palmer.
— Keke Palmer (@KekePalmer) July 24, 2022
What is colorism and why are Keke Palmer and Zendaya examples of it?
Colorism is defined as the preference of lighter skin over darker skin. This type of colorism is prevalent in minority groups. The idea is based on racism, which believes that a person’s superiority or value is determined by the way they look, especially the color of their skin. Colorism can be traced back to the days of plantation slavery in America. Those with lighter skin tones had preferential treatment compared to those with darker skin tones.
Many lighter-skinned enslaved Africans were descendants of their white slaves. Because of their lighter skin, they began to believe that they were superior to their darker counterparts. In recent years, Hollywood has been accused of colorism and whitewashing people of color. Actor and director Lin-Manuel Miranda was accused of the same thing, for which he later apologized.
In the episode when their child brings home his school photos, ABC’s black comedy also tackled the issue of colorism. While the son is visible, his twin, portrayed by Marsai Martin, is barely visible because the photographer did not use the right lighting for her complexion.
The show’s producer, Peter Saji, who is mixed-race, recognized the problem and said he never realized how lucky he was to be light-skinned.
He previously stated:
“For dark-skinned black women, this not only means they’re passed over for lighter-skinned women in the dating and job market, but they also rarely see a dark-skinned woman as a main character’s love interest.”
Netizens point out that in the case of Zendaya, Keke Palmer is called an “up-and-coming star” and not a “star in her own right.” They claim it’s because her skin is lighter than Zendaya’s. It’s also worth mentioning that Zendaya has previously stated that she wants to see her community have the same opportunities that she has had in the entertainment world.
Categories: Entertaintment
Source: HIS Education