Comparison
Keke Palmer, a notable actress, singer, Emmy winner, and former Disney Channel star, recently shut down comparisons between her and Zendaya. Moreover, Palmer notes that these comparisons are a fault of colorism in her industry. Palmer is her own individual person with accomplishments unique to herself, these comparisons ignited a discussion on colorism.
Keke Palmer Upbringing
Palmer rose to fame on Disney Channel as the youngest Black actress to receive a starring role in the show True Jackson, VP. In a tweet, Palmer expressed her thoughts on the matter, saying: “Colorism is evident when people try to compare me to others. I hold unique distinctions such as being the youngest talk show host, the first Black woman to have her own show on Nickelodeon, and the youngest and first Black Cinderella on Broadway. My talent is incomparable. This is who I am, Keke Palmer.“
Disney Channel
Keke and Zendaya both played roles in Disney Channel shows as young children but since then, their careers have taken completely different paths.
Individual Success
Moreover, Palmer’s recent role in NOPE has earned her new attention. In addition to this, many people were quick to point out that Palmer has been a successful actress all her life and that this role did not establish her success as an actress. On Twitter, Aiyana N. Ishmael commented, “It’s fascinating how people are discussing Keke Palmer’s rise to stardom. It’s incredible how we have different perspectives because in my family, Keke has always been a star. ‘Akeelah & The Bee’ was my dad’s favorite movie, and it was a huge success in our home.”
Colorism
Colorism is favoritism towards individuals with lighter skin over those with darker skin. It stems from racism in the United States and reinforces white beauty standards, benefiting white individuals in various oppressive institutions like the media and healthcare. Colorism persists in Hollywood as many other individuals have shared their experiences and highlighted acts of colorism. Moreover, The Western movie The Harder They Fall portrayed a dark-skinned character with a light-skinned actress. Many people criticized the movie’s choice to cast Zazie Beetz as this character as she is a light-skinned woman.
Moreover, colorism applies to many races and ethnic backgrounds and is more dependent on skin tone. Underrepresentation of dark-skinned Indian women also occurs in Hollywood. Furthermore, Bridgerton actress Charithra Chandran opened up about her experiences with colorism. Her recent debut on the Netflix show Bridgerton landed her some new attention. The newest season casts two dark-skinned Indian women as leads. Charithra Chandran who played Edwina Sharma and her co-star Simone Ashley who played Kate Sharma were praised for their performances. Their representation as dark-skinned Indian women received positive feedback from viewers.
Furthermore, the comparisons of Zendaya and Keke Palmer open a new door to examine colorism in Hollywood. Casting light-skinned actresses for dark-skinned roles, and comparing dark-skinned actresses’ success to light-skinned actresses persists every day. Along with this, breaking down these patterns of colorism will allow for individualism among actors and actresses and the elimination of colorism.
