Keke Palmer Says She Was “Trapped” With Playing Teen Star ‘True Jackson’ on Nickelodeon

Keke Palmer has come a long way. Whether you became a fan of Palmer in Akeelah in The Bee, True Jackson VP, or just became familiar with her work after watching Jordan Peele’s Nope, Palmer will continue to make great strides in the TV industry.

When talking with The Hollywood Reporter, Palmer reflected on a time she felt trapped in her career, and it was during Nickelodeon’s True Jackson VP.

“I felt like I was walking around in a SpongeBob suit that I couldn’t take off,” the Alice star said.

Palmer was offered an all-expenses-paid trip by Nickelodeon Cruises at 15 when True Jackson VP was popping. At the time, she thought she would be able to relax but ended up fainting on the trip because of anxiety.

“I was trapped. I couldn’t leave my room without someone coming up to me and calling me True Jackson. What you are, to everyone, is just a character … just part of their experience.”

Palmer was the first Black woman to get her own leading show on Nickelodeon, making historic strides in the entertainment industry. True Jackson VP was a sitcom about a young teenager offered a job to be a fashion executive in charge of a youth apparel line. The show ran from 2008 to 2011.

The Hustlers actor announced her TV network KeyTV with “Heaux & Tell” being the first series. In an interview, Palmer said, “KeyTV is about bringing new perspectives to the table and platforming creators who have something to say. Overall, I want the network to deliver content that is relatable to our generation with characters you feel like you know, and ‘Heaux & Tell,’ our first scripted series, delivers on that and more.”