Keke Palmer Reflects on Unresolved Tensions with Former Scream Queens Co-Star and Ryan Murphy

Keke Palmer has shed new light on her experiences on the set of Scream Queens, revisiting past tensions with a co-star and show co-creator Ryan Murphy. The actress, known for her role as Zayday Williams in the horror-comedy series, has revealed that unresolved conflicts from her time on the show continue to linger.

In an interview with The Cut, Palmer addressed a past incident involving a white co-star, whom she identified in her memoir Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative under the pseudonym "Brenda." Palmer recounted an uncomfortable moment when the actress responded to her attempt to mediate a dispute by making a racially insensitive comment: “Keke, literally, just don’t. Who do you think you are? Martin f---ing Luther King?”

Palmer revealed that despite the co-star reaching out to congratulate her on her memoir via Instagram, an apology for the remark has yet to be offered. “She was just checking the temperature. She knows what she did,” Palmer stated. Reflecting on the incident, Palmer emphasized her resilience: “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. I’m no victim.”

In her memoir, Palmer also detailed a confrontation with Ryan Murphy over a scheduling conflict. She recalled an angry phone call during which Murphy labeled her "unprofessional." “Ryan was really angry with me,” Palmer wrote. “He ripped into me, and I took it.”

Speaking about the fallout, Palmer suggested the disagreement might explain why Murphy has not cast her in any subsequent projects. However, she maintained that the experience was a stepping stone in her career: “That was just a job. It wasn’t the end goal. That was a stepping stone to me building the Keke Palmer brand.”

Scream Queens, created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan, premiered in 2015 and ran for two seasons. The series featured an ensemble cast including Emma Roberts, Jamie Lee Curtis, Lea Michele, Abigail Breslin, Billie Lourd, and Glen Powell.