There’s a new VP coming to town! Keke Palmer and boyfriend Darius Jackson are expecting their first child — and pregnancy has already changed their world.
“This year has taken me for a ride! And how cool, my baby and I are already doing it all together. Thank you God,” the True Jackson, VP alum wrote via Instagram in December 2022, gushing over her pregnancy milestones. “Thank you to my amazing parents and family who continuously support me. Thank you @noraradd for being my spiritual sister as ALWAYS! You feel me my little Pisces moon.”
She continued: “Thank you to my other half [Darius] for giving me the things that only true unity can bring. Love is all we have isn’t it, you do nothing in this world alone and trust me, I am not alone! Very grateful.”
Palmer kept most of her pregnancy journey under wraps, finally revealing the exciting news during her Saturday Night Live hosting debut.
“There’s some rumors going around, people have been in my comments saying, ‘Keke’s having a baby, Keke’s pregnant,’ and I wanna set the record straight — I am,” the Nope star said in her monologue on December 3, 2022, as she cradled her bare baby bump. “I mean, like, I was trying so hard to keep it on the down low, ‘cause I got a lot of stuff going on, you know? People kept coming up to me [and saying,] ‘Congratulations.’ I’m like, ‘Sssh, can y’all stop, I got a liquor sponsorship on the line. Let the check clear and then we can get to the damn baby shower!’”
She added at the time: “But, honestly this has been the biggest blessing, and I am so excited. Guys, I’m going to be a mom! 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 [and] I own a home. … You know, things adults do.’”
Palmer’s debut on SNL — which featured a surprise Kenan & Kel reunion by Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell — saw her inner circle turn up to support her career (and personal!) milestone.
“Secrets outttt! Zen has another blood cousin on the way,” Rap Sh*t actress Dominique Perry captioned behind-the-scenes Instagram snaps with the pregnant star, referring to her 4-year-old daughter. “Super congrats to you sis on this winning night, welcome to the mommyclub and @dvulton you guys are going to do great! Love you much .”
Jackson — who has been dating Palmer since August 2021 — also attended his partner’s special night at the late-night series. “2023 ,” the fitness trainer, known as Darius Daulton, wrote via Instagram Story as he shared a baby bump pic of the Hustlers star.
Scroll below to see Palmer’s pregnancy progress before her first child’s arrival: