Keke Palmer & Darius Jackson: Their Relationship Timeline

Keke Palmer has spent a significant part of her life in the spotlight. From the precocious but confident tween girl who commanded the screen to the versatile woman boasting numerous media endeavors, her star power has been evident, regardless of her eggs in multiple baskets. Yet, another way she’s made significant headlines is through her relationship with Darius Jackson. 

Indeed, the Nickelodeon alumna has kept her romantic relationships confidential throughout her career. Her hold on her privacy was so airtight that all the public had were speculations and rumors. However, that changed in 2021 when Palmer openly showcased her relationship with Jackson. The pair share a son now, and although there’s been some drama, things seem to be positive once again.

Darius Jackson was not a very popular internet personality before he began dating Keke Palmer. Nonetheless, he had access to high-profile events because of his brother, actor Sarunas Jackson. Sarunas and Palmer both starred in HBO’s Insecure. Later, Darius met Palmer at a Memorial Day party hosted by Issa Rae and Diddy in 2021. Very little is known about Jackson’s early life. However, he started making a name for himself as a fitness trainer by the time he met Palmer. He was also reportedly looking to pursue a career in sports media. Consequently, he has since been involved in entertainment as well. Following their introduction at the party, the pair began a romantic relationship. 

Keke officially announced their relationship in August 2021 in a since-deleted Instagram post. The first few months of their relationship were filled with public declarations of love and appreciation. Fans got an unprecedented view into Palmer’s relationship, something they had never enjoyed before. The two lovebirds unabashedly shared photos and videos of their time together. While it was admittedly still limited, it was a kind of access Palmer had never given the general public. 

All of a sudden, by the spring of 2022, these affectionate posts were deleted from both accounts. Naturally, this development stirred rumors that the two had broken up. However, Palmer cleared them up. By late 2022, a new story stemmed about Keke Palmer being pregnant and hiding a baby bump. She finally addressed the rumors during her opening monologue on Saturday Night Live.

“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!” she said, unbuttoning her jacket to reveal her baby bump. Social media went ablaze afterward, congratulating the actress on her forthcoming baby. This also renewed public interest in Darius Jackson, further pushing his celebrity profile forward.

Palmer and Jackson welcomed their son, Leodis Jackson, on February 25, 2023. The couple announced his birth in a cute Instagram post. She recounted bits of her relationship with Jackson and topped up the caption with a joke. “Born during Black History Month, with a name to match!” she wrote. Afterward, the pair went quiet on social media, back to maintaining their privacy. Save for essential posts, they rarely took to Instagram, supposedly enjoying their time together as new parents.

In July 2023, Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson made headlines again. However, the situation was far from positive. Months after the birth of their son, Palmer was gradually integrating back into mainstream media. The Nope actress had previously made a few public appearances, often thanking her baby for her voluptuous figure postpartum. In the same vein, fans on social media created a running gag about Palmer’s fuller physique due to her baby weight. However, after videos of Palmer at Usher’s Las Vegas Residency went viral, Jackson publicly shamed her outfit.  

Jackson openly called out Palmer in a tweet, which he has since deleted. Keke responded in a post of her own, quickly garnering support from fans. Similarly, breakup rumors began to swirl. The indirect interaction generated wild media buzz and sparked multiple debates online. There was also palpable tension in the air about whether or not the two would remain together.

Numerous outlets soon carried that the two had parted ways and were no longer in a romantic relationship. However, on her 30th birthday, Keke Palmer was live on Instagram, with Jackson by her side. There’s no confirmation whether they’re back together or cordial and co-parenting. The pair were having lunch together and conversing quite freely, disproving rumors that they were on bad terms. Later, the two were photographed enjoying Beyoncé's Renaissance tour stop in Los Angeles.

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