Keke Palmer, 29, is known to keep her love life private. That was the case until her relationship with Darius Jackson.
Fans grew up watching Palmer as she made her mark in the entertainment industry with movies like Akeelah and the Bee and Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail and in TV shows like Nickelodeon’s True Jackson, VP. They have followed along on her journey from child stardom to becoming a multi-hyphenate talent—and now in her new role as a mom.
Jackson, on the other hand, has kept a low profile for the most part. He is known as the brother of Insecure star Sarunas J. Jackson, and is a former football player at Fresno State University, where he received a scholarship. As he transitioned from school to adulthood, he now works as a fitness instructor and is an internet personality. He is also involved in entertainment as he starred in Palmer’s KeyTV sitcom Sportfan.
The pair’s relationship dates back to 2021 when they met at one of Issa Rae’s Insecure after-parties, which Diddy hosted. The two hit it off after Palmer’s best friend suggested she get him a drink. “I walked up to him. My best friend said, ‘You should just say something to him,'” Palmer said on The Terrell Show.
The twosome’s romance continued, and in 2022 she announced she was expecting her first child during a Saturday Night Live monologue. “People have been in my comments saying, ‘Keke’s having a baby,’ ‘Keke’s pregnant,’ and I want to set the record straight—I am,” she said, showing off her baby bump.
In February, Palmer and Jackson became first-time parents to a baby boy named Leo.
The couple’s relationship seemed to be going strong, and they appeared to be madly in love. “Not tryna be the person but… I love my man.(PERIODT!),” she tweeted in July. But it wasn’t until recently that the couple’s relationship made headlines after Darius criticized Palmer on social media for the outfit she wore to Usher’s My Way: The Las Vegas Residency.
After fans put Jackson through the ringer on social media for his comments, it is unclear if the couple are still together. All signs point to there being major trouble in paradise for them, but until there’s more clarity on the status of their relationship, here is a complete timeline of the couple from their first meet-up to their biggest moments.
