Keke Palmer is doing what’s best for her son.
And to her, that means being in a healthy space with his father. A year after she and Darius Jackson—with whom she shares Leodis, 21-months—ended their relationship, the 31-year-old gave an update on where they stand.
“I would have never thought that I would be where I am now,” Keke told Gayle King in a CBS Mornings interview Nov. 19. “I am very grateful that we are able to co-exist this way and show up for our son. It's a blessing."
The Baby, This Is Keke Palmer host and Darius began their relationship in June 2021 and welcomed their son the following year. However, things became contentious when Keke obtained a temporary restraining order against Darius in November 2023, in which she alleged domestic and emotional abuse. (For his part, Darius filed his own legal response in Dec. 2023 which he alleged Keke was the “primary aggressor” during their relationship. E! News reached out to both Darius and Keke at the time of the filings and did not receive comment.)
But almost a year after the legal back and forth, Keke opened up about why she chose to take legal action in the first place.
"It got so out of control," Keke told People of that time in an interview published Oct. 30. "The only way I knew how to bring order was through the court."
The Master of Me author also explained that her fame contributed to the strain in their relationship.
"It’s always become a burden," she said. "Too many voices get in. It can make everybody else not trust you. It’s hard to explain."
Despite the legal obstacles she faced, Keke is keeping one person at the top of her mind: Leo.
"I need to be the best for him and to be the best for him, I gotta be the best me," she told E! News in August. "I'm not going to be able to be the best me for him if I'm not focusing on the things that make me the best I can be."
She continued, “I have more of a balance in my life, because if I can't show up for him, then none of this s--t matters to me."
Keep reading to see more of Keke’s sweet moments with little Leo…
This is What Dreams Are Made Of...
The Nope actress recapped her trip to Rome with her son Leodis Jackson in an Instagram carousel featuring quality time with the family, Lizzie McGuire throwbacks and an adorable mirror moment with her “Leo Rising” toddler.
Mother's Day Message
Palmer gushed over “Master Leodis” in a heartwarming Mother’s Day post, teasing her desire for an even bigger family.
“I love being a mom more than I thought I would, and that was a lot already,” she shared on Instagram. “I want a whole soccer team.”
First Words on Set
Palmer was shocked in an adorable video of Leodis saying the word “mama” for the first time while on set. As she put it, “I’m not crying YOU ARE.”
Baby's First Birthday
The proud mother wished her “Leo Beo” a happy first birthday in her emotional post, sharing that he has given her life purpose.
“You make my life so worth living,” she wrote in February 2024. “I’d live a million lives. Even with all the pain and suffering one has to experience here. I will do it over and over again, because I know that I’d be with YOU!”
Santa's Little Helper
“Santa” and her “favorite little helper” dazzled in a sparkly red dress and the cutest elf costume.
True Love
Palmer was all smiles as she danced with her baby boy, calling him “the love of my life,” in her Instagram caption. “I can’t wait until you’re older and we can go to the movies together, camp, improv, binge tv shows, cook and all the other endless things I dream of doing with you."
Popcorn, Popcorn
Leo giggled at his mom as she recited the catch phrases of viral TikTok sensation Pinkydoll, repeating “popcorn, popcorn.”
From the Archives
Palmer couldn’t help but pull this sweet moment out of the archives, sharing a video of the joyful mom showering her baby with kisses.
Mommy and Me Yoga
This mama was ready for Mommy and Me yoga in an adorable skit, but baby Leo wasn’t too sure about the whole yoga situation…
First Mother's Day
“Happy Mother’s Day,” Palmer wrote on the milestone day, “to a MUVAAAAA.”
April Fools' Day Manifestation
This was not an April Fools’ joke…Keke Palmer may have manifested the birth of her first baby, thinking back to when she “’joked’ about being preggers” just one year prior.