POPSUGAR: Tell us about your new Clean & Clear video.
Keke Palmer: It’s something a lot of girls my age go through all our lives — the stresses from our parents and our friends. Throughout my career and my personal life: being afraid to be myself for a number of reasons, especially because of the industry. I didn’t want people to think I was a bratty kid, so I ended up developing this people-pleasing technique to make others feel more comfortable around me, and it made me feel caged up. The video tells a lot of that journey and how I overcame that struggle.
PS: Do you have a favorite Clean & Clear product?
KP: I’ve had a lot of problems with my skin, so when I’m off my doctor’s regime, I do every now and then use Clean & Clear’s exfoliating cleanser. I find it to be refreshing — even though when I first used it on my face, I was like, “what the heck is going on with this tingling sensation?”
PS: What does playing a role of Cinderella mean to you? Did you dream about it when you were younger?
KP: Cinderella was definitely a story that meant something to me during my childhood. Those stories always trail around in your adulthood, even if it’s just the idea of meeting your prince who’ll carry you away and love everything about you. I can’t say it was a role that I always knew I would play. It did come as a surprise to me when it ended up being my first role on Broadway. I hoped for the opportunity to be on Broadway, but I never imagined it would be Cinderella.
PS: How did the role come about?
KP: It came about like a regular audition. My agent heard about it and asked if I wanted to go in for it. I said, “Yeah, why not?” I had always envisioned myself getting the opportunity to do Broadway one day, but I didn’t think I’d get the opportunity to do it so young. I thought it would be in my late 30s or 40s. When the opportunity came up, I thought to myself, “This may be your shot, just go for it.” So I learned my lines, learned the music, and auditioned. And the audition was definitely different than any I’ve been on before, because a lot more goes into it. I had to dance, sing, and act — but it was fun. Shortly after the audition, they called me and said they wanted me for the role.
