Keke Palmer takes us back to 2008 with new and nostalgic gigs

In the past day, Keke Palmer has revealed two new gigs that are both the perfect confluence of, well, everything. The former Good Morning America co-host just scored a dream role with Disney+ as part of the previously announced The Proud Family reboot AND host of the MTV VMAs. Bringing true meaning to the word "hustlers."The Proud Family ran for five seasons on the Disney Channel back in the early 2000s and centered on the misadventures (both realistic and totally fantastical) of its teen lead, Penny Proud, and her eccentric and multicultural family and friends. This new series, The Proud Family Louder and Prouder, doesn’t yet have a release date, but we do know that Palmer (a former teen Disney star herself) will be voicing the character Maya Leibowitz-Jenkins, a 14-year-old activist (with a pretty great sense of style). Palmer shared a sneak peek at what her character will look like on social media earlier today.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ DREAMS COME TRUE! https://t.co/vgwmibrurS

— Keke Palmer (@KekePalmer) August 6, 2020

Is there a better person to cast as a Black teen activist in a Disney show than a Black former-teen Disney star and current activist? The answer is 'no.'Keke's GMA fam also celebrated the news by announcing their former colleague’s new role with Disney+ and directing fans to the online Proud Family cast reunion (!!!) that Palmer is set to moderate today.

We are SO EXCITED to see our girl @KekePalmer in the new "The Proud Family" on @disneyplus! ❤️ https://t.co/i9rZzYvW4s pic.twitter.com/ZgPNWi4Gsl

— Good Morning America (@GMA) August 6, 2020

In the February 2020 announcement for the new series, Disney shared that the original cast would all be back for the Louder and Prouder reboot. That means Kayla Pratt will return as Penny Proud along with Tommy Davidson as Proud Patriarch/Proud Snacks founder Oscar Proud, Paula Jai Parker as mom Trudy Proud, JoMarie Payton as maternal grandmother Suga Mama and Cedric the Entertainer as Uncle Bobby.[video_embed id='1774069']RELATED: Keke Palmer reveals why 'Hustlers' is going to be 'dope' [/video_embed]And The Proud Family casting is only the half of it! Palmer announced just hours after her Disney news that she'll be hosting the 2020 MTV VMAs on August 30. "I heard y’all was tired of 2020, let’s go back to 2008," she captioned her announcement video where she calls up an old friend... True Jackson, V.P. Or should we say, True Jackson, CEO! Be still, our early '10s hearts.K-E-K-E-P-A-L-M-E-R-V-M-As. *air kiss*

 

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Join me as I host the 2020 @vmas on August 30th on @MTV! #VMAs

A post shared by BIG BOSS ?? (@keke) on Aug 6, 2020 at 11:00am PDT

Is there better news than Keke Palmer reprising her role as True Jackson on the same day she reveals she's going to be in The Proud Family reboot? Probably not.Her Proud Family role will be Palmer’s second time working with Disney. In 2007, she starred in the Disney Channel Original Film Jump In! alongside High School Musical star Cobin Bleu. Palmer’s casting comes after a number of white actors, including Jenny Slate, Kristen Bell, and Mike Henry, stepped down from their positions on shows in which they voiced Black or POC characters. The Simpsons has also promised to stop using white actors to voice non-white characters.Palmer was one of several Black actors and activists at the centre of recent Black Lives Matter protests where she notably called on members of the National Guard to march with protestors during one demonstration in California. The video of Palmer passionately confronting men in full military gear went viral. It looks like her new role as an outspoken teenage activist will suit her perfectly.[video_embed id='2007723']BEFORE YOU GO: Unpacking Beyoncé's 'BLACK IS KING' visual album [/video_embed]