Keke Palmer is known for her resilience and talent, but even she has faced her share of challenges in Hollywood. In her new memoir, Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative, the 31-year-old actress and singer reflects on some difficult moments from her time on the Fox series Scream Queens. A feature in the Los Angeles Times sheds light on her experiences, including clashes with creator Ryan Murphy and a shocking incident with a co-star.
Palmer starred in Scream Queens for two seasons, hoping to become part of Murphy’s recurring troupe of actors, a group that includes names like Sarah Paulson and Emma Roberts. However, a scheduling conflict early on reportedly derailed that trajectory.
In her memoir, Palmer recalls arranging to fulfill another business commitment on what was supposed to be a day off, only to find out last-minute that she was needed on set. When she decided to honor her other obligation, it led to a heated confrontation with Murphy.
“He ripped into me,” Palmer shared, likening the interaction to being scolded in a school principal’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.’”
Although Palmer apologized and believed the issue was resolved, she later discovered it might not have been. A co-star stopped by her trailer to offer an ominous take on the situation.
“I said, ‘Ryan talked to me, and I guess he’s cool—it’s fine,’” Palmer recounted. “And she was like, ‘It’s bad,’ trying to make me scared or something, which was a little irritating.”
Looking back, Palmer admits that standing her ground may have cost her a spot in Murphy’s inner circle. Still, she has no regrets about prioritizing her own boundaries.
“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 wrote. “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.”
The memoir also recounts a deeply upsetting moment with a co-star she refers to as “Brenda.” During a tense on-set exchange between “Brenda” and a colleague, Palmer tried to de-escalate a situation by encouraging camaraderie and mutual respect. Instead, “Brenda” shot back with a racially charged remark: “Keke, literally, just don’t. Who do you think you are? Martin F— Luther King?”
Rather than naming the person, Palmer chose to focus on her own response.
“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,” Palmer explained. “I’m not no victim. That’s not my storyline, sweetie. I don’t care what her a– said. If I allow what she said to cripple me, then she would.”
Through the challenges, Palmer’s determination and self-worth have remained unshaken. Her memoir is both a candid account of her journey and a testament to her unyielding strength.
