Keke Palmer is opening up about how she managed to get to a better place with ex Darius Jackson after the end of their rocky relationship.
“I’m so proud of him and happy for him,” Palmer, 31, told People in an interview published on Wednesday, October 30. “I feel very at ease now knowing things are under control.”
According to the actress, there “was a lot going on” between her and Jackson, 30, that the public wasn’t aware of before the pair called it quits.
“It was like, not only is this the person, but this is the time. It felt very spiritual for Darius and I,” she recalled about the early days of their relationship. “We had separate lonelinesses, and we created a space for us to exist in that loneliness together. And then we wanted to have a son. Leo was very planned.”
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Palmer and Jackson started dating in 2021 and welcomed their son two years later. News broke in November 2023 that Palmer requested a restraining order against Jackson after claiming that she had security footage from an incident in which Jackson “trespassed” into her home and “threatened” her. He allegedly lunged toward Palmer before “striking” her and “throwing” her over the couch.
Keke Palmer, Leo Jackson, and Darius Jackson
In legal documents obtained by Us Weekly at the time, Palmer claimed “many instances of physical violence” took place throughout her two-year romance with Jackson. Palmer confirmed in her filing that she ended their relationship in October 2023 due to “the physical and emotional abuse inflicted” upon her.
“It was the hardest thing I ever had to go through,” Palmer writes in her upcoming memoir, Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative, per People.
She told the outlet, “It got so out of control. The only way I knew how to bring order was through the court.”
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Palmer said “having a baby” was “a big stressor” on her relationship with Jackson, adding, “Not just with my romantic relationships, but with family and friends, it’s always become a burden. Too many voices get in. It can make everybody else not trust you. It’s hard to explain.”
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge granted Palmer’s temporary restraining order in November 2023, ordering Jackson to stay 100 yards away from both Palmer and their child. Jackson was also prohibited from having visitation rights. Earlier this year, the order was extended by six months, but it was eventually dropped in May after Palmer and Jackson attended mediation.
Jackson previously broke his silence about the situation in December 2023, writing via Instagram, “There’s A LOT I can say but not allowed to say. And at this point, don’t even want to say.” He later filed a response to Palmer’s allegations, accusing his ex of being the “primary aggressor” in their relationship.
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The pair appeared to put their drama aside, reuniting to celebrate Palmer’s birthday in August. They’ve since remained on more cordial terms.
“I wish I could say he was terrible the entire time or that I was,” she writes in her book, according to People. “But it wasn’t that black-and-white and that was the problem. I didn’t want my son to think his father is a monster, because I don’t.”
While Palmer is proud of the progress she has made with Jackson as coparents, she told others who might be dealing with a similar situation,“Walking away is the only way.”
Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative hits shelves November 19.