Keke Palmer at the UK Premiere of “Lightyear” in 2022 ; Loreal Palmer on ‘Claim to Fame’.Photo:David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage ; Maarten de Boer/Getty
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage ; Maarten de Boer/Getty
Keke Palmerisn’t the only creative in her family. The multitalented star got to show the world how cool her older sister, Loreal Palmer, was when she appeared on and won the first season of ABC’sClaim to Fame.
Loreal played the game well and received support from viewers, including Keke. In fact, the actress insisted on watching every episode with her sister as they aired.
“I wish I would’ve filmed her reactionsto some of the stuff because she is so serious and she’s always like, ‘Don’t tell me, I wanna watch and I wanna find out.’ It’s almost as entertaining as just watching [the show],” Loreal told PEOPLE.
Keke has given credit to her family for inspiring her with creativity and humor, but she’s also said that she admires older sister Loreal as a person and as a mother, as she has three children. Likewise, Loreal has said that Keke inspires her too.
“I am so BEYOND proud of the beautiful woman you have become both inside and out and it has been a privilege to watch you go from performing on program for Mildred to performing for the world,” she wrote in a birthdayInstagram postdedicated to Keke in 2021.
Loreal is a fan of horror and thriller films, and has said she’d like to make her own someday, maybe even starring sister Keke. She once told PEOPLE she’d love to be “the next Wes Craven.”
So who is Keke Palmer’s sister? Here’s what to know about Loreal Palmer and her relationship with her actress sibling.
She’s the child of actors
Keke Palmer and family at the world premiere of Universal Pictures' “NOPE” in 2022.Alberto Rodriguez/Hollywood Reporter/Getty
Alberto Rodriguez/Hollywood Reporter/Getty
Keke and Loreal were born in Harvey, Illinois, and raised in Robbins, Illinois, alongside their other siblings, twins Lawrence and Lawrencia Palmer, and their parents, Sharon and Lawrence “Larry” Palmer.
Sharon and Lawrence met as students in drama school, and both worked as actors before having children. Their mother is a high school teacher and their father is currently a Catholic deacon.
When Keke wanted to start acting, it was Loreal who she had to persuade to move to Los Angeles with their family.
“I knew opportunities would pop up if I just kept on trying. I talked it over with my sister, and I didn’t have anything to bribe her,” Keke said in an interview withUSA Today. Luckily, Loreal was supportive of her little sister’s dreams.
“I asked her, ‘Please?’ I knew she was excited about going to high school and I didn’t want to take that away from her — but I really wanted my dream to come true. She said, ‘You’re really talented, and I think this could be good for you.’ "
She’s a winning reality show contestant
Kevin Jonas, Loreal “L.C.” Palmer, and Frankie Jonas on ‘Claim to Fame’.John Fleenor/Getty
John Fleenor/Getty
Loreal got her 15 minutes of fame when she won the first season of ABC’sClaim to Fame, a reality show where relatives of celebrities try to guess each other’s claim to fame in a series of challenges and guessing ceremonies.
Speaking to PEOPLE about the experience, Loreal revealed that she was surprised at how emotionally taxing being on the show was.
Though Loreal was the winner, shehinted at her relation to Kekein various challenges, including a sentimental one where shewore a bee costume to represent Keke’s movie,Akeelah and the Bee. Despite it being a nod to her celebrity sister, her fellow contestants thought it was a hint at being related to Laurence Fishburne, who also starred in the film.
“I’m different and I was teased a lot as a kid, so that doesn’t make you feel pretty,” Loreal said in a confessional video. “That challenge, I … know I was a bee, but I felt like I was a butterfly.”
Loreal won over the public and her castmates, whom she’s said she keeps in touch with.
“We have a group chat, and then we have individual conversations going on,” she told PEOPLE. “I’m hoping that we always keep in contact because it was just such a unique experience bringing people together who otherwise probably never would’ve even met. It’s like I’m walking away with 11 new friends.”
She’s also posted a fewbehind-the-scenes photo dumpsof her time on the show, featuring images of her and her castmates bonding with one another, hosts Frankie andKevin Jonasand crew members.
“This was truly a life changing experience and it only goes up from here! I love you all, and I am proud to say I did this with you guys,” she wrote in one otherInstagram post.
She’s a role model for her younger sister
Keke Palmer and Loreal Palmer.Loreal Palmer Instagram
Loreal Palmer Instagram
Keke is not shy about giving big sister Loreal her flowers and reminding her how much she inspires her.
“After all these years you still stand to be someone I can learn from in even more impactful ways,” she continued. “Seeing you as a mother, a wife and just not a kid anymore has been the coolest thing to see! Witnessing your strength and your faith reveals your depth and virtue.”
Despite being the older one, Loreal has also given Keke credit for teaching her some valuable lessons.
“The main [lesson] that she taught me that I hope I’m passing on to my own children is that you can do whatever you want. You can be whoever you want,” Loreal said of Keke to PEOPLE. “You’re gonna have people who don’t agree with what you’re doing or who don’t like you and that’s okay. It’s a part of life. You have to keep going and living for yourself.”
She’s a mother of three
Loreal is a mom of three children: a son named Alex, and two daughters, Ali and Aaliyah.
In December 2021, auntKeke shared a short videostarring her nephew and nieces, which she jokingly referred to as her “directorial, editing and DP debut.”
“My nephew @gaming_with_age told me he wanted to be an actor like me when he grows up 🥺 — so we decided to film a movie! His two little sisters decided to join and we even did a little premiere,” she wrote.
“I can’t tell you how happy it makes me that we have this facet to channel our creativity. My parents were entertainers, my siblings are entertainers (though they don’t always actively pursue it lol) and I’m an entertainer,” she continued. “We are taking it into the next generation. My heart is SO full.”
After making Keke an aunt a few times, Loreal finally became an aunt to Keke’s son,Leodis Andrellton Jacksonin February 2023.
She loves horror movies
Loreal “L.C.” Palmer on ‘Claim to Fame’.John Fleenor/ABC/Getty
John Fleenor/ABC/Getty
Loreal loves horror and slasher films, and she has the tattoos to prove it.
In September 2022, she showed offher latest tattoo, a cartoon version ofMichael Myersfrom theHalloweenfranchise. Shortly after, she posted photos oftwo more cartoon horror-themed tattoos: one of slasher Jason Voorhees from theFriday the 13thhorror film franchise, and one of Pennywise, the clown fromStephen King’sIt,in the same style.
She also has a matching tattoo with Keke.According to the actress, they haveGooniestattoos on their feet because they love the movie.
But Loreal doesn’t just enjoy watching horror films, as she has said that she’d love to be behind the scenes one day too.
“I want to make horror movies,” she once told PEOPLE. “My dream is, I would love to be the next Wes Craven. He’s my idol. I am a huge fan of ’80s slashers, and I feel like so much of what’s out right now is so psychological or supernatural and I just wanna bring back the good old fashion slasher.”
Loreal also noted that she’d love to work on a horror film with her sister, Keke, who starred inJordan Peele’s 2022 sci-fi horror movieNope.
“She loves horror too, so I’m hoping that we can merge together and do some pretty insane things.”
She has plans to launch a film company
In an interview withPopCulture, Loreal spoke about her plans for the future and reflected on the recent changes in her life that made herClaim to Famevictory even more profound.
“Winning for me is just so crazy because I recently divorced, I have three small children, [and] I am back in school,” Loreal shared.
“I also want to start my own film production company. So it’s just like, ‘OK, great. Things are falling into place,’ ” she added. “I just want to make it work. I want to make it count.”
Loreal also stated that the $100,000 prize money from winningClaim to Famewould be a great help in putting her plans in motion.
“You know, you always have ‘pipe dreams,’ where you’re like, ‘If I ever have the opportunity, this is what I’d do.’ Now I have the opportunity, so I have to do all these things I said I wanted to do,” she said.
She prefers to stay low-key
“Someone reached out to me, and not gonna lie, I thought it was some type of scam,” Loreal told PopCulture about how she was scouted for the show. “I’m so hidden and so far removed from Keke … how did you even find me?”
“Keke has been trying to get me to do stuff forever, so she was like, ‘There’s no question. You’re doing it, so enjoy,’ ” Loreal said.
Even in the wake of her winning the competition, she has remained pretty quiet on social media, only posting sparingly.
source: people.com
