Keke Palmer isn’t sure how motherhood will impact her career

Keke Palmer is a woman of many roles, but she’s uncertain how her new title as mother will play out when it comes to her career. 

“There are different ways in which I exist,” she tells Elle for its first Impact issue. “I don’t know how my baby will fit into that, or if that’s something that I’ll even want. I don’t know if motherhood will be part of that narrative or not.”

She continues, “Only time will tell, but I’m definitely interested to see … I might be like, ‘I have something to say so here’s a book.’ I don’t know. Or motherhood might be off limits, Beyoncé style. I don’t think I’ll know until I know.”

Keke is one of several women named as Elle‘s Women of Impact for making her mark on the world. With a career that’s spanned nearly two decades, her definition of success has changed over time.

“As a kid, I thought success was being on Disney Channel or Nickelodeon or being in a movie with someone that I was a fan of,” she says. “But as I’ve gotten older, success is just doing the thing you love.”

Also different is Keke’s focus, which has shifted outward and led to the creation of her digital network, KeyTV.

“I want to educate and allow people to see themselves, not just in front of the camera, but also in all of the different roles that go into creating a movie or a TV show,” she says. “We could use a lot more young millennials, Gen Zers, and people of color, especially when we talk about ownership and changing the kind of content that we see. It starts from being in those kinds of positions.”