Actress Keke Palmer recently shared insights into her challenging experiences on the set of Scream Queens, detailing encounters that went beyond the fictional horrors portrayed on the show. In her memoir Master of Me. The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative, slated for release on November 19, Palmer opens up about conflicts she endured with cast members and the series’ creator, Ryan Murphy. Palmer, who portrayed Zayday Williams in the Fox horror-comedy, discusses a specific incident with an unnamed white costar referred to as Brenda who allegedly made a racially insensitive comment towards her.
Palmer recalls that the tension with Brenda arose during a moment of workplace conflict. In an attempt to ease the situation, Palmer suggested a positive, respectful approach to help calm everyone involved. However, her intervention was met with a harsh response from Brenda, who sarcastically questioned Palmer’s role by saying,
“Keke, literally, just don’t. Who do you think you are? Martin f—ing Luther King?”
According to Palmer, the weight of this comment was undeniable, yet she made a conscious choice not to let it affect her. Reflecting on this moment in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, she explained, “It was such a weighted thing that she said, but I didn’t allow that weight to be projected on me, because I know who I am.” Determined not to let the remark define her narrative, Palmer chose not to name the co-star, explaining, “I’m no victim. That’s not my storyline, sweetie. I don’t care what her ass said. If I allow what she said to cripple me, then she would.”
Another incident described by Palmer in her memoir involved Ryan Murphy himself, known for his work on Glee, American Horror Story, and Scream Queens. She recounts a heated exchange with Murphy over a scheduling conflict that he felt was unprofessional. According to Palmer, she had arranged another work commitment on what she understood to be her day off, only to be informed last minute that her presence on set was required. Sticking to her prior commitment, Palmer soon found herself in a tense conversation with Murphy, who allegedly scolded her for her decision, likening the experience to being “in the dean’s office.”
“He was like, ‘I’ve never seen you behave like this. I can’t believe that you, out of all people, would do something like this,’” Palmer recalls Murphy saying, adding that the exchange left her feeling scrutinized. Palmer apologized and thought that her conversation with Murphy had resolved the issue. However, a co-star later warned her that the fallout was still unfolding behind the scenes. “I said, ‘Ryan talked to me and I guess he’s cool, it’s fine,’ and she was like, ‘It’s bad,’ trying to make me scared or something, which was a little irritating,” Palmer shared.
Palmer reflects on these events with an understanding of the business-driven nature of the entertainment industry, noting that this experience may have affected her chances of becoming a regular collaborator in Murphy’s productions. Known for casting the same pool of actors across various projects, Murphy has a distinctive “rotating cast” of recurring stars in his work. Palmer believes this incident may have impacted her ability to join that recurring ensemble. “I’m still not sure Ryan cared, or got it, and that’s okay because he was just centering his business, which isn’t a problem to me,” Palmer writes in her memoir, according to the L.A. Times. She emphasizes that, regardless of how the incident may have affected Murphy’s view of her, she sees herself as a professional with her own brand and priorities: “But what I do know is even if he didn’t care, and even if I never work with him again, he knows that I, too, see myself as a business.”
Despite these difficult encounters, Palmer’s approach to navigating adversity reflects her resilience and self-awareness. Her experience highlights a broader conversation about respect, professionalism, and the unique challenges faced by actors in the entertainment industry, particularly people of color. By taking control of her narrative and choosing not to be defined by these incidents, Palmer continues to focus on her career and personal growth, embodying the themes she explores in her memoir. Through her perspective, readers gain insight into how she’s shaped her path by refusing to be overshadowed by negativity, ultimately reinforcing her message of self-empowerment and resilience.
