We all fell in love with then thirteen year-old Ms. Keke Palmer when she starred in Akeelah and the Bee (2006) opposite Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett. The gorgeous actress and singer is the youngest person in history to have their own talk show. Now, she is making history again as she will be playing the lead role in ‘Roger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella’ on Broadway starting September 9.
Over the years, Palmer has starred in films like Joyful Noise (2012) and several television shows. She has consistently represented young black women in a positive light while setting a great example for upcoming aspiring black actresses. This new opportunity will only add dimension to Palmer’s body of work.
Palmer made the announcement Monday via Twitter.
The first time we witnessed a black Cinderella was in 1997 when Brandy Norwood played the iconic princess in the TV version of the movie. I remember watching the premiere with bated breath as Norwood and Whitney Houston (who played Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother) sang and performed all the numbers I had memorized by four years old. Palmer credited Norwood for her groundbreaking portrayal of Cinderella.
“I feel like the reason I’m able to do this is definitely because Brandy did it on TV,” Palmer told AP. “In me doing this, it shows everybody that everything is possible.”
There is no question that seeing diverse casts in movies and media is important for young black women and girls. When young actresses like Norwood and Palmer make history, they send a message to girls that anything they dream can actually come true. Palmer knows exactly what this means because she herself once looked on dreaming of what she might become one day. Seeing an actress with her beautiful brown skin playing a traditionally white princess will inspire confidence in little black girls – this is something she has even struggled with.
Palmer has admitted to struggling with issues of colorism though she now appreciates her skin color and beauty. Hopefully her groundbreaking roles in the talk show world and on Broadway will influence another generation of princesses to chase their dreams.
