Keke Palmer explains how Jennifer Lopez has become ‘a real mentor’ to her

Keke Palmer has an ally in the Hollywood hustle.

Palmer shared that her Hustlers costar Jennifer Lopez has become “a real mentor” to her over the years. As she has endured various tribulations in her personal life, the Nope actress said that Lopez has offered some advice to help her through.

“We became really close after that,” Palmer told Amy Poehler of her experience working with Lopez on the Aug. 18 episode of Good Hang. “I’ve gone through things in my life where it’s like randomly she’ll be like, ‘Call me if you need me.’ I’ll call her and she’ll give me some real deal and it’s just like she’s a real girl’s girl.”

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The pair developed a friendship on the set of Hustlers, where Palmer said she impressed the Maid in Manhattan star with her strong work ethic.

“We kind of bonded because she saw me on my grind,” Palmer said.

Although Palmer was a fan of Lopez’s, she made sure that her reverence for the pop star didn’t get in the way of the job they had to do. When Lopez saw her “focusing on my thing,” Palmer said her costar rooted for her success.

“She’s a real mentor and she’s like I want you to win,” she continued.

Keke Palmer explains how Jennifer Lopez has become ‘a real mentor’ to her

Lopez joins the ranks of Palmer’s other role models, which she said includes Whoopi Goldberg, Queen Latifah and Jordan Peele.

Palmer has been open about her admiration for Lopez, previously telling Entertainment Weekly that she was initially nervous filming with her.

“My first scene in the film was with her,” she said during the film’s premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019. “She was letting me know that she was glad I was a part of it and that she thinks we’re going to have a great time. I appreciated that she embraced me from the beginning, because it’s her movie, she’s the head of it, so it’s going to be a fun time!”

And Palmer isn’t the only Hustlers star who has benefitted from Lopez’s guidance. At the time of the film’s premiere, Lili Reinhart shared the “On The Floor” singer’s role as a “mama bear” on set.

“You could tell she has that warm energy and she’s very touchy, she wants to connect with you,” Reinhart told EW at the 2019 premiere. “It’s very sweet.”

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My list of must-try jean trends for 2026 is growing; it currently includes all the silhouettes one denim expert revealed to me as the must-watch of the year (save for baggy jeans, because I’ve been wearing those for years). That said, one style that didn’t land on said aforementioned list, but is clearly due for big, big things this year, is flare jeans. With a growing list of celebrity fans that includes Meghan Markle, Jennifer Lopez, Reese Witherspoon, Cindy Crawford, Kendrick Lamar (you know that moment), and, of course, Amal Clooney, there’s no denying the retro denim style that was popular in the early aughts is back—and bigger than ever.

The fact that Clooney wore flared jeans is noteworthy in and of itself. The human rights lawyer is known for her refined dressing approach, regularly opting for billowy trousers, trendy boho blouses, and comfy sweater dresses—all staples that read elegant and timeless. So, when I spotted her earlier this year in the laid-back blues while out to dinner with hubby George Clooney, I knew I had to write about it. Of course, the fact that she wore flare jeans, the style countless celebs have worn the last few weeks, is noteworthy, too, as it further cements the style’s ‘It’ status for 2026.