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Keke Palmer Admits Sexual Abuse Accusations Against Former Mentor R. Kelly Were ‘Heartbreaking’

"That’s not the person that I worked with."

Keke Palmer isn’t shy about speaking candidly on her career and life, and now she’s admitting that she is still trying to wrap her mind around R. Kelly’s downfall in the wake of Surviving R-Kelly.

  • Although she no longer supports the disgraced R&B singer, Keke was candid about the fact that she is still trying to come to terms with the man R. Kelly presented to himself to be around her and the man who has been accused of preying on underage girls in the bombshell Lifetime documentary.

    During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live on Sunday night (July 7), the 25-year-old actress revealed that she was shocked and disappointed when she heard about the allegations that were made against her former mentor. 

    “The whole thing was eye-opening, painful, sad, disappointing [and] heartbreaking,” Keke divulged.

    Host Andy Cohen wondered did the news come as a surprise to Keke, who previously called herself a student of the musician. 

    “Yes, because that’s not the side that I knew,” the 25-year-old admitted. “That’s not the person that I worked with. That’s not the experience I had. Just imagine you having a great experience with someone and then you hearing all this stuff.

    "It’s like, 'Why didn’t you show them what you showed me?' That’s the feeling that I had.” 

     

  • She continued: “I hated talking about it because I felt like you were a friend to me but then I’m seeing you as a foe to others, and I’m hurt for them. How do I put myself in this position now? It was very sad. I think that anybody that loved him as a person probably feels that way. That's not something you want to hear about somebody that you cared for."

    The “Scream Queens” star first spoke up and condemned R. Kelly on Instagram back in January after watching the docuseries.

    "I will stand by my sisters because that's simply what's right and what I hope discontinues this behavior in anyone," Palmer said at the time. "We have to be good to each other, not all of us accept the light but those of us that do must be responsible!!!! We can not take advantage of each other or accept when someone else does."

    The three-time Grammy winner has continued to deny all accusations against him ever since the documentary aired. The embattled singer is currently fighting against a slew of indictments, including sex trafficking and 10 counts sexual abuse.

    Watch the heartbreaking clip in full below:

     

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