“It’s Keke Palmer, the black girl on the network”

Keke Palmer found early success as the star of Nickelodeon’s True Jackson, VP, but she doesn’t think she’s in the same conversation as the likes of Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and Victoria Justice.

In a new interview, Palmer reflects on her career and the Hollywood limitations of being a young black woman.

“I wasn’t necessarily in the same conversations as Victoria Justice or Selena Gomez or Miley Cyrus at the time,” Palmer shared The cut in an interview, adding that “people put limitations” on her. “It was very much ‘It’s the black show’ or ‘It’s Keke Palmer, the black girl on the network.'”

Palmer starred in the Nickelodeon sitcom for three seasons (2008 to 2011), playing the role of True Jackson, a teenager hired to be the vice president of a fashion company.

“There is a loss of innocence that comes with the awareness that you are being treated differently than I had long ago accepted,” she added. “I don’t compare myself to anybody, but I certainly don’t compare myself to any white person.”

Fellow Nickelodeon alum Victoria Justice starred in the Victorious between 2010 and 2013, Selena Gomez starred on Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place between 2007 and 2012, and Miley Cyrus starred in Hannah Montana for four seasons between 2006 and 2011.

Palmer also spoke about the difficulties of transitioning into adult roles after True Jackson, VPand said, “You’re at this weird age where you’re too young for the kinds of roles you want and you’re too old for the kinds of roles you used to get. Your brand was that you were a child, and you are not a child anymore, so you must build a new one.”

Palmer can be seen in One of Them Days alongside SZA, which is set to open in theaters on January 17.