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‘I Became Fiercely Protective': Keke Palmer Opens Up About Changes She Felt Since Embracing Motherhood
Keke Palmer feels overwhelmed by the changes of motherhood but remains protective of her infant son amid legal troubles with ex-partner Darious Jackson.
Motherhood is empowering for Keke Palmer. As most women would agree, the Nickelodeon star shared that motherhood has also got her on her toes all the time. In a recent interview, she unwrapped her approach to this phase of her life while embracing the changes it brings. But above all, Palmer made sure her baby boy was “protected.”
The NBC host welcomed her son, Leodis ‘Leo’ Andrellton Jackson in February 2023. Now in a legal battle with, Palmer shares her child with ex-boyfriend Darius Jackson. The 30-year-old actress candidly talked about setting her priorities straight as a mother while juggling her glamourous career.
Keke Palmer created a safe space for her son
“I became fiercely protective, which I think is good and natural, but it’s like an overwhelming feeling to be that protective,” Palmer told US Weekly. Striving to be her best version and creating a safe space for her son was Palmer’s way of embracing motherhood. “It became primal for me to make sure that my son was in the best environment and that I felt that I could be my best self to make sure that I could show up for him.”
Although, motherhood has been a wild ride for the Emmy-winning star. Months after welcoming Leo, she split with Darius Jackson in October 2023. However, that wasn’t the end of it. Things got even more serious when Palmer filed for a restraining order due to Jackson's abusive nature in their relationship.
The Broadway actress alleged that Jackson physically abused her “multiple times” during their two-year-long relationship. The couple dated on and off and finally split in October after the birth of their child. “I don’t think I would’ve been that strong to do [that] without having my son, in every aspect of my life, even the way that I deal with my career, it became so much more easy to be like, ‘Yes, no, this, that’ in a way that I don’t know that I always have before,” she added.
Palmer made waves as the first-ever African American woman to play Cinderella on Broadway in 2014. She also became the youngest talk show host in TV history after she signed with BET for Just Keke in the same year. More recently, the ‘Akeelah and the Bee’ star teamed up with Chips! Ahoy to introduce a new “MMMproved recipe” for its nostalgic chocolate chip cookies.
Keke Palmer wants no association with Leo’s father
Following the split, Palmer filed a temporary restraining order against Jackson in November 2023. She also requested sole custody of her infant son, both of which were granted by the court. However, Jackson responded to the allegations by counter-filing against Palmer as the “aggressor” of the relationship. Yes, it does remind us of the infamous Depp-Heard trials but hope it doesn’t go there. Consequently, Palmer’s restraining order was extended by six months in January 2024.
With too much going on in the A-lister’s life, she is still focusing on what’s most important, her 8-month-old son, Leodis. “I remember somebody saying that once you become a mom, you kind of go insane a little bit and you don’t come back. I do feel like that happened to me because I’m not playing about my child,” Palmer said. Despite all the tumult, taking on life with an optimistic mindset has been the key to the star’s happiness and well-being.
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