Keke Palmer has always been iconic. From her career-defining role in the 2006 film Akeelah And The Bee to her epic hosting gig at the 2021 Met Gala, there are many reasons why the actor has such a dedicated fanbase – which includes the team here at Stylist.  

And during her hosting appearance on Saturday Night Live last night, Palmer provided us with yet another stand-out moment – this time, in the form of a pregnancy announcement.

Taking to the stage to deliver her opening monologue, Palmer started by speaking about her star sign and time as a child actor before turning to some “rumours” she said she wanted to clear up. 

“I’m especially glad to be here, though, because there’s some rumours going around – people have been in my comments saying, ‘Keke’s having a baby,’ ‘Keke’s pregnant,’ and I want to set the record straight,” she said, unbuttoning her coat to expose a baby bump. “I am!”

Naturally, the Saturday Night Live studio erupted with cheers and applause – and the response among Palmer’s fans online was no different.  

However, there was an underlying message beneath Palmer’s pregnancy announcement which is worth noting. 

While she maintained her comedic tone throughout the monologue, Palmer went on to speak about how it felt for people to speculate about her pregnancy – and it was an important reminder of why the media speculation we often see surrounding women’s bodies is so unhelpful.

“I got to say though, it is bad when people on the internet spread rumours about you, but it’s even worse when they’re correct,” she told the crowd. “I was trying so hard to keep it on the down low because I got a lot of stuff going on, you know?”

Later on, she addressed some of the responses she’d been getting since people started to speculate she was pregnant, adding: “Even though some people feel a little weird about me having a baby cause I was a child actor, I just wanna say, look, I’m 29, I’m grown, I have sex, I own a home, I stormed the Capitol on January 6, you know? Things adults do.”

If one thing’s for sure, Palmer isn’t here for people trying to shape the narrative surrounding her pregnancy, and it’s great to see. Just because women’s bodies have long been subject to public debate, doesn’t mean it’s OK – and Palmer should be able to experience and enjoy her pregnancy as she sees fit. 

Congratulations, Keke!

Image: Getty