Keke Palmer says that all child stars had a different experience, especially financially.
The actress, 32, chatted with rapper PlaqueBoyMax on a Twitch livestream on Jan. 13, where she shared some stories from her early days of stardom.
One of Palmer’s stories involved her hanging out with other child actors, including Tyler James Williams.
“So, Tyler James, when we were kids, it was me, Tyler, a couple of the kids… from kid actor world, we were all together at Universal CityWalk when we were teenagers. We had to be, like, 13, 14,” she began.
“We all hanging out, we all kicking it, and we go somewhere… Tyler James, 14, he pulls out a black card. And we were like, ‘What the hell is that?'”
“He was like, ‘It’s a black card,'” she continued. “I just never forgot that moment! Like, 14? 14 with a black card!”
Palmer said that the young actor was making “like, $200,000 an episode” for his starring role on Everybody Hates Chris, noting those higher earnings came with “being on network,” compared to her experiences on Nickelodeon as True Jackson, VP.
The comments were particularly notable because in a Complex interview in Oct. 2025, Williams denied the claims about his inflated earnings on the series. When asked about rumors he was making $250,000 an episode, he flat out denied it.
“Stop believing anything you see somebody put in big bold letters on the internet. It’s not correct. I don’t even know where it came from. I heard rumors of it years and years ago. That’s not how the entertainment industry works. When you first come in on your first show, your quota is really, really low. Thankfully, it’s not where it was back in the day, but no, that’s not true.”
At a Glance
- Keke Palmer recalled Tyler James Williams having an American Express black card at age 14
- Williams was reportedly earning $200,000 per episode for Everybody Hates Chris
- Williams has previously denied claims he made $250,000 per episode
- Palmer contrasted his network TV earnings with her Nickelodeon salary
Why it matters: The revelation highlights the vast financial differences between child actors on network television versus cable channels.
