Keke Palmer Shares Hilarious Story Behind The Moment She Found Out She Was Pregnant
Keke Palmer being pregnant has been one of the cutest things we have seen this year. If you’re like me and the other internet aunties then you grew up watching the actress onscreen and now at 29, we get to witness her become a mother. So far she has revealed that her pregnancy has seemed to cure her cystic acne by clearing up her skin, and she even appeared to accidentally share the sex of her baby during her appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Keke is welcoming her first child with boyfriend Darius Jackson and on her Amazon music podcast Baby, this is Keke Palmer, the beautiful couple opened up about how they met, about the moment they found out that she was pregnant, and even hints at the name.
Read more below:
Keke Palmer on how her and Darius Jackson met:
“Well actually, when I did Nope, that's when we met. We met when I was filming Nope. And you know how I am when I'm filming a movie or I'm doing a project or something like that. I'm very serious and I remember when I was doing, Nope, dating him was a breeze. Good. Not like how it's been in the past sometimes where I have to do my job and it's like I gotta cut a motherfucker loose because they stressed, they taken away from what I'm doing. And you know, when somebody's taken away from what I'm doing, they're done… You know, it could be a best friend relationship, hell, family. I'm just like, I gotta focus on what I'm doing.
"One thing that I really noticed from when I was filming Nope, was he made my experience better. I felt supported even, even when we were getting to know each other. So, you know, I definitely knew around, you know, when I had surgery last year or you know, when I did SNL and this came up, I had that extra support I had somebody that added as opposed to, you know, making me feel like something's taken away. And that definitely was taken into account as, obviously why we are in this, in this scenario and having this baby together because, you know, if you can support me in my career and we can support each other in life in this kind of way, then why not support each other bringing into a new life? So I, I thank you for that.”
Keke on how she found out she was pregnant:
“My baby was definitely planned. Like it, it wasn't like we sat on the chalkboard and wrote some stuff out, but… we were definitely like moving in the, in the vibe of definitely no surprise. But it's so funny because how I found out was actually Darius, because randomly I was just, you know, feeling to myself, maybe I could be pregnant. Like the, the period thing didn't even happen yet. I just thought to myself, huh, maybe I could be pregnant. Maybe this is the time. You know what I mean?
"I'm feeling good, you know, I always, you know, told myself definitely by 28 I would love to, to be pregnant, or you know, at least focusing on something like this. I was like, open to it like you're saying, and you know, [he's a] good partner, feeling really good. And so I was like, you know what? I feel like maybe that, maybe that I am [pregnant]. So I took the test and it came back negative, you know what I mean? I didn't have the lines on there, so I just threw it in the trash, you know what I mean? I just threw it in the trash.
"And so I go out with, um, with Nora and we're at like this semi-casual business dinner, but we're like having some little sake and like enjoying ourselves, and all of a sudden I get a text from Darius and he says, ‘When did you take this?’ And it's a picture of the pregnancy test and it's positive…I didn't wait long enough! And I'm like, ‘I took that earlier today, like literally just some hours before I left out.’ And he said, ‘Well, you better get to be drinking water in your sight. Cause I'm buying 10 of these things right now. You take them all when you get home.’ Soon as I come home, I, and I'm also not kidding, as soon as I come home, Me and him, I do 10 of 'em back to back, back to back, to back, to back to back. [And they're] all positive…”
Darius shares his side of the story about finding out Keke was pregnant:
“...First off, let, let, let's, let's set the record straight. You know, I was not digging in the trash can like, so the cleaning lady, she, she just emptied out the trash. So, when I went to the bathroom, I only just see one item inside the trash and I was, uh, the, [I saw] the pregnancy test and it was just, and it was facing down. I was like, okay, well she took a pregnancy test today. Okay. I guess she decided to take it on her own.
"No big deal, let me just lift it up. And then I just see the line and it was not even faint. It was actually a very thin line, solid straight. And I was like, the, this, this, this is actually a positive pregnancy test right now. So that's, that's, you know, but it stood out that it was just like the only thing inside a trash can, so I was not digging on through!
"But um, yeah, so at that point in time it did feel like, you know, when you watch them, uh, them like rom-com movies or them, them pregnancy movies where they go in that montage and they go to that grocery store and they're buying all the pregnancy tests. That's what it felt like.
"I went to Target and I was just like, ok, Clear Blue just started pouring all that in and then, uh, we had them lined up. I had like, Two, three bottles of water ready for Keke when she came back, [she began] drinking a bunch of water. And then, uh, yeah, during the, like the next two hours, it just kept [saying] positive, positive, positive, positive.”
Keke on how they determined the baby’s name (and it won’t be True Jackson):
“Me and Darius, we have a couple of little, like, aesthetic ideas, but most importantly, we just want him to look like a regular kid, like we are so anti-anything of aesthetic baby. Also including the name. We're not saying the name, but the name for us - it gives American. It gives Black American storyline. We want it to just be like, you know, we're not going for anything too unique. It's not about to be Stone and Sand. It's just like a nice natural [name]. I love that. I love that. No aesthetic baby.
"…Our baby is about to be dirty, wearing dirty t-shirts. Like we just want the baby to look like a baby for real, velcro shoes, you know what I mean? Like I love it. Light 'em up toes. Quarter, quarter jumpers. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. But, you know, but you know what's so funny is when we first started dating, it's so hilarious. Darius’ brother [Insecure actor Sarunas J. Jackson] was like, 'Yo, you know, you guys been dating for a minute. That'd be crazy if y'all get married and you turn her into a True Jackson [after her Nickelodeon TV show and character.]'
"So we said, when we do, we said, when we do our wedding cards, that's when the True Jackson moment will shine. We'll do the wordplay for those invitations. Yeah, but we are like, we can't name the baby True Jackson. That's too much of a joke. Yeah, that's too much of a novelty. It's too much of a novelty.”
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London Alexaundria is the contributing editor for xoNecole. She is an alum of Clark Atlanta University, where she majored in Mass Media Arts and has worked in journalism for over ten years. You can follow her on Instagram and TikTok @theselfcarewriter
Claudia Jordan, Demetria McKinney & Jill Marie Jones On 'Games Women Play' & Dating Over 40
What do you get when you mix unfiltered truths, high-stakes romance, and a few well-timed one-liners? You get Games Women Play—the sizzling new stage play by Je’Caryous Johnson that’s part relationship rollercoaster, part grown-woman group chat.
With a powerhouse cast that includes Claudia Jordan, Demetria McKinney, Jill Marie Jones, Carl Payne, Chico Bean, and Brian J. White, the play dives headfirst into the messy, hilarious, and heart-wrenching games people play for love, power, and peace of mind. And the women leading this story? They’re bringing their whole selves to the stage—and leaving nothing behind.
From Script to Spotlight
The road to Games Women Play started over 20 years ago—literally.
“This script was written 20 years ago,” Jill Marie Jones said with a smile. “It was originally called Men, Money & Gold Diggers, and I was in the film version. So when Je’Caryous called me to bring it to the stage, I was like, ‘Let’s go.’” Now reimagined for 2025, the play is updated with sharp dialogue and modern relationship dynamics that feel all too real.
Demetria McKinney, no stranger to Je’Caryous Johnson’s productions, jumped at the opportunity to join the cast once again. “This is my third time working with him,” she shared. “It was an opportunity to stretch. I’d never been directed by Carl Payne before, and the chance to work with talent I admire—Jill, Claudia, Chico—it was a no-brainer.”
Claudia Jordan joked that she originally saw the role as just another check. “I didn’t take it that seriously at first,” she admitted. “But this is my first full-on tour—and now I’ve got a whole new respect for how hard people work in theater. This ain’t easy.”
Modern Love, Stage Left
The play doesn’t hold back when it comes to the messier parts of love. One jaw-dropping moment comes when a live podcast proposal flips into a prenup bombshell—leaving the audience (and the characters) gasping.
Demetria broke it down with honesty. “People don’t ask the real questions when they date. Like, ‘Do you want kids? How do you feel about money?’ These convos aren’t happening, and then everyone’s confused. That moment in the play—it’s real. That happens all the time.”
Jill chimed in, noting how the play speaks to emotional disconnect. “We’re giving each other different tokens of love. Men might offer security and money. Women, we’re giving our hearts. But there’s a disconnect—and that’s where things fall apart.”
And then Claudia, of course, took it all the way there. “These men don’t even want to sign our prenups now!” she laughed. “They want to live the soft life, too. Wearing units, gloss, getting their brows done. We can’t have nothing! Y’all want to be like us? Then get a damn period and go through menopause.”
Dating Over 40: “You Better Come Correct”
When the conversation turned to real-life relationships, all three women lit up. Their experiences dating in their 40s and 50s have given them both clarity—and zero tolerance for games.
“I feel sexier than I’ve ever felt,” said Jill, who proudly turned 50 in January. “I say what I want. I mean what I say. I’m inside my woman, and I’m not apologizing for it.”
Demetria added that dating now comes with deeper self-awareness. “Anybody in my life is there because I want them there. I’ve worked hard to need nobody. But I’m open to love—as long as you keep doing what got me there in the first place.”
For Claudia, the bar is high—and the peace is priceless. “I’ve worked hard for my peace,” she said. “I’m not dating for food. I’m dating because I want to spend time with you. And honestly, if being with you isn’t better than being alone with my candles and fountains and cats? Then no thanks.”
Channeling Strength & Icon Status
Each actress brings something different to the play—but all of them deliver.
“I actually wish I could be messier on stage,” Claudia joked. “But I think about my grandmother—she was born in 1929, couldn’t even vote or buy a house without a man, and didn’t give a damn. She was fearless. That’s where my strength comes from.”
For Jill, the comparisons to her iconic Girlfriends character Toni Childs aren’t far off—but this role gave her a chance to dig deeper. “If you really understood Toni, you’d see how layered she was. And Paisley is the same—misunderstood, but strong. There’s more to her than people see at first glance.”
Demetria, who juggles singing and acting seamlessly, shared that live theater pushes her in a new way. “Every moment on stage counts. You can’t redo anything. It’s a different kind of love and discipline. You have to give the performance away—live, in the moment—and trust that it lands.”
Laughter, Lessons & Black Girl Gems
The show has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments—and the cast isn’t shy about who steals scenes.
“Chico Bean gets a lot of gasps and laughs,” Claudia said. “And Naomi Booker? Every scene she’s in—she’s hilarious.”
But the play isn’t just about humor. It leaves space for reflection—especially for Black women.
“I hope we get back to the foundation of love and communication,” said Demetria. “A lot of us are in protector mode. But that’s turned into survival mode. We’ve lost softness. We’ve lost connection.”
Claudia agreed. “We’re doing it all—but it’s not because we want to be strong all the time. It’s because we have to be. And I just want women to know: You can have peace, you can be soft. But stop bringing your old pain into new love. Don’t let past heartbreak build walls so high that the right person can’t climb over.”
Final Act: Pack the House
If there’s one thing this cast agrees on, it’s that this play isn’t just entertainment—it’s necessary.
“Atlanta is the Black entertainment hub,” Claudia said. “We need y’all to show up for this play. Support the arts. Support each other. Because when we pack the house, we make space for more stories like this.”
Games Women Play is more than a play—it’s a mirror. You’ll see yourself, your friends, your exes, and maybe even your next chapter. So get ready to laugh, reflect, and maybe even heal—because the games are on.
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What Is A Mother Wound? Signs You May Have One & How To Heal
I didn’t know I had a mother wound until my therapist named it for me.
I had been describing a pattern of emotional unavailability in my choice of partners as a commonality between them. I told him how there was often a physical presence but also one paired with an emotional distance. I expressed that I felt inclined to be the "reasonable" one in my relationships. Easy to love, eager to please, emotionally contained. He gently gave me language, but some I wasn’t expecting: “It sounds like a mother wound.” That statement helped me connect so many dots, but at the same time, I asked him, "But, how?"
My mother is there for me. My mother is a home for me. My mother loves me. What I learned was that a mother wound doesn’t always have to come from abuse, neglect, or other forms of toxicity. Sometimes it comes from a very human mother who is doing her best in all of the ways you could ever ask her to and even in ways you couldn’t, but one who is also emotionally unavailable, overly critical, or dependent on you to meet her needs. (Parentification, party of one.)
My mother wound took form not because she was unloving, but because she was often emotionally unavailable. As a single mother of three and a mother to countless others working in education, she carried the weight of everything. And while I’ve always admired her strength and loved her deeply, I now understand that some of my emotional patterns were shaped by the love I craved but didn’t always feel. She is an amazing mother, and I still have a mother wound. I hold space for both truths because they both deserve space.
If you’ve ever struggled with the ability to self-soothe, people-pleasing, low self-worth, or emotional boundaries, your mother wound may still be calling the shots in your life and your adult relationships. To learn more about what the mother wound is, how it shows up, and how to start healing it, keep reading.
What Is a Mother Wound?
A mother wound refers to the behavioral patterns, emotional pain, and belief systems derived from the relationships we have with our mothers or maternal figures. It's an attachment wound that is not always caused by overt harm. Sometimes mother wounds stem from emotional absence or a lack of emotional support, criticism, passive-aggression, control, co-dependency, or a feeling that you had to earn love by being self-sacrificing or self-sufficient, "easy," or helpful.
The wound is less about pointing fingers at who to blame and more about having awareness around where your needs were left unmet, and how that impacted the way you show up in the world.
Trauma Integration Coach Ally described the impact of such a wound perfectly. In an Instagram caption, she wrote, "When there has been mother wounding, the heart defends itself and tries to close. Our whole system lives in a state of contraction and unsafety, depleted of love, nurturance, and connection."
That "state of contraction and unsafety" she refers to can look like:
- Feeling emotionally guarded, even with people you love
- Struggling to trust your needs or believe you’re allowed to take up space
- Over-functioning in relationships or assuming the role of caregiver/fixer
- Having chronically anxious or hyper-independent nervous system states (i.e., never letting yourself rest or receive)
While these patterns are often unconscious, they have the potential to quietly shape everything, from your self-worth to your romantic relationships.
The Types of Mother Wounds
5 Types of Mother Wounds You Should Know About
While everyone's experience is unique to them, some types of mother wounds show up more commonly than others. According to The Mother Wound Project, there are seven types of mother wounds, but I've also seen sources that say they are as many as 15. Because mother wounds are complex and can originate from different behaviors experienced in a mother-child relationship, it is possible to have multiple types of mother wounds depending on the parent.
To begin healing your mother wound(s), it is helpful to identify the type of mother wound you may be carrying and how it might be playing out in your life today. Check out a few of the more common ones below.
The Abandonment Wound
If your mother was physically or emotionally unavailable, or even absent from your life altogether, you might have an abandonment wound. Perhaps she worked a lot, struggled with her own mental health, or was unable to attune to your emotional needs. As a result, you might have felt unheard, unseen, or like your feelings weren't important.
How it manifests:
- Attracting unavailable or avoidant partners
- Struggling to ask for help or trust others
- Having a fear of rejection, or like you're "too much"
The Criticism Wound
If your mother had impossibly high expectations for you, was overly critical, or was a perfectionist who wanted you to follow suit, it's possible you internalized a harsh inner critic. Love might have felt conditional, like it had to be earned through success by way of accomplishments, accolades, and achievements, or through being compliant, easy, or needless.
How it manifests:
- Feeling like you're not "doing enough," not now, not ever
- Struggling with impostor syndrome or chronic self-doubt
- Fearing you might make the "wrong" choice, or that you'll fail
The Enmeshment Wound
For many with mother wounds, it’s not just about what was lacking or missing, but instead how closely they were tied to their mother’s emotional world. This is where emotional enmeshment enters the chat. This can look like little to no emotional separation between you and your mother, where boundaries between the two of you become so blurred that you don't know where her needs and feelings end and where yours begin.
If you felt responsible for your mother’s mood, well-being, comfort, or approval as a child, you might have an enmeshment wound.
How it manifests:
- Feeling guilty when setting boundaries
- People-pleasing in relationships or anxious attachment
- Difficulty when deciphering what it is you want in life (Read: "Living Your Best Life Actually Looks Like Decentering Your Mother")
The Emotional Neglect Wound
A quieter wound, but felt nonetheless. An emotional neglect wound develops when your emotional needs are constantly overlooked, minimized, or rarely fully acknowledged. Your mother might have been there physically or provided for you through material things, but she rarely asked you how you felt, let alone validated your emotions or created space for vulnerability.
How it manifests:
- Feeling like your feelings are a burden instead of a gift
- Difficulty expressing your emotions or naming them
- Feelings of emptiness or disconnection even in close relationships
The Invalidation Wound
If you grew up feeling like your experiences, perceptions, or feelings were belittled, you're not alone. You're one of many with an invalidation wound. This type of wound originates from having your reality dismissed or constantly questioned. Your feelings could have been labeled as "dramatic," your truths might have been denied or invalidated, and your experiences might have been minimized.
With time, this behavioral pattern impacts you by causing deep confusion around what you believe you are "allowed" to feel and your overall sense of self.
How it manifests:
- Struggling with conflict or trusting your voice
- Second-guessing your instincts or questioning your reality
- Feeling gaslit even in safe relationships
How to Heal Your Mother Wound
As previously mentioned, healing a mother wound is not about blaming your mother, it’s about tending to the parts of you that didn’t get what they needed way back when. It’s about creating emotional safety, clarity, and self-connection, often for the first time. And you don't need anyone's permission to do it, just the courage to start. Here’s where to begin:
1. Acknowledge what you needed but didn't get: You're allowed to name the emotional gaps that were and are still very real for you. And you're allowed to do so without guilt. Awareness is the first step in the healing and reclamation of your voice.
2. Self-parent yourself: Speak to yourself with the softness, nurturance, love, and validation you once craved. You can affirm yourself, you can meet your needs, you can reparent your inner child. You can remind yourself that you have the power and you can choose how to go about wielding it. Self-mothering is one of the ways to do this.
3. Set compassionate boundaries: You don't have to cut your mother out of your life if you don't feel called to, but it's important to remember that setting boundaries is about protecting your peace, not punishing your mother. If you need to create some space while choosing peace over performance, do that. And do so with compassion.
4. Hold your grief without shame: Even if your mother did her best, you're allowed to grieve the mother you wished you had. Honor that loss as the act of liberation it is.
5. Redefine what mothering looks like to you: Yes, you're every woman, and it's all in you, but we weren't born to do life alone, hence the need for love and connection. If your mother can't meet those needs, open yourself up to receiving love from other places and sources.
Let yourself be nurtured by friendships, chosen family, therapy, and nature. You're worth it.
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