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Keke Palmer is opening up about a challenging experience on Scream Queens, where she claims creator Ryan Murphy criticized her professionalism and a co-star allegedly made a racist comment.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Palmer reflects on her time filming the Fox series, an experience she explores further in her upcoming memoir, Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative. In the book, Palmer shares that during her two seasons on the show, she encountered a conflict with Murphy over her availability.
Palmer explains that after reviewing her schedule, she planned a personal engagement on a day she believed was free. However, on the day, she was unexpectedly called to set. When she chose to keep her prior commitment, Murphy reportedly called her, “ripping” into her and calling her “unprofessional.” Palmer recalls, “It was kind of like I was in the dean’s office. He said, ‘I’ve never seen you behave like this. I can’t believe that you, of all people, would do something like this.’” Although she apologized and believed the matter was settled, a co-star warned her the situation might be worse than she thought, trying to “make [her] scared,” which she found “irritating.”
Reflecting on the incident, Palmer suggests it may have affected her chances of becoming a regular in Murphy’s projects, as other actors like Sarah Paulson and Emma Roberts have. In her memoir, she notes that even if Murphy didn’t understand her perspective, she sees herself as a “business” and doesn’t regret prioritizing her needs.
Palmer also recounts an upsetting interaction with a white actress, whom she anonymously names “Brenda.” Following a disagreement with another colleague, Palmer encouraged Brenda to calm down and prioritize respect. In response, the actress allegedly shot back, “Keke, literally, just don’t. Who do you think you are? Martin f---ing Luther King?” Despite the remark’s “weighted” tone, Palmer says she refused to let it affect her self-worth, stating, “I’m not no victim. That’s not my storyline, sweetie.”
In Master of Me, which releases on Nov. 19, Palmer discusses navigating her career with self-worth, boundaries, and resilience. She emphasizes
the tools she’s developed to harness vulnerability, take control of her narrative, and transform personal power into empowerment. Representatives for Murphy have not yet commented.
