Who is Keke Palmer's partner Darius Jackson? All we know amid backlash

Keke Palmer's boyfriend Darius Jackson was on the receiving end of major backlash from fans of the 29-year-old actress for comments many deemed "misogynistic."

Darius, Keke's boyfriend and the father of their baby Leodis "Leo," took to Twitter after his girlfriend was spotted at an Usher concert in a bodysuit covered with a sheer black dress. "It's the outfit tho...You a mom," he wrote disapprovingly.

He tweeted his disapproval of her outfit, citing not wanting to see the "wife & mother to his kids to showcase booty cheeks to please others" in a follow up. Unsurprisingly, Keke's fans and defenders shamed him right back for his comments, and he eventually deleted all of his social media accounts. Recently, however, there has been a lot of speculation about their relationship status... 

Read on to learn more about Keke's partner and his own life away from the spotlight.

Who is Keke Palmer's boyfriend Darius Jackson?

Darius Jackson, also known as Darius Daulton, was born in Philadelphia to a family of athletes, and is a personal trainer at Inspire Fitness in California.

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As his bio on their website states, Darius attended Fresno State University on a football scholarship and he grew up "competing in multiple sports." 

It also states: "Growing up in a sports environment motivated him to get into sports media where he is currently pursuing his career in & received a certificate in broadcasting. 

"His motivation to be an instructor is to help others and himself to stay in shape as he enjoys being in a team oriented environment. It is also there that he feels comfortable to be himself."

Who is Darius Jackson's famous brother?

Darius and Keke have a lot more in common than you'd think, as the fitness instructor's brother is actor Sarunas J. Jackson.

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The 33-year-old has made a name for himself through supporting turns in TV shows like Made for Love, Good Trouble, Games People Play, and Insecure, on which Keke has also guest starred.

When did Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson start dating?

The pair reportedly met at a Memorial Day Party in May of 2021, with the actress taking her relationship public with a photo of the two together on Instagram in August of 2021, with Darius soon doing the same.

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Speaking on The Tamron Hall Show in November 2021, Keke said of making her relationship public: "We spend all this time together, and he really is my closest friend, so it just becomes a thing where I'm not gonna hide something that makes me happy.

"It's not gonna be everything you see, my job is my job, but at the end of the day this is somebody that is important to me so why not."

Do Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson have children?

Keke revealed on Saturday Night Live in December 2022 that she was expecting her first child, proudly showing off her baby bump to the studio audience and viewers at home.

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In late February, she and Darius welcomed their son, born Leodis Andrellton Jackson, writing on social media: "Darius always made me playlists when we first started dating, 'Someone' by El Debarge was a favorite. We became each other's someone and made a someone, look at God!"

On Father's Day last month, the Nope actress posted a tribute to her boyfriend, writing: "Congrats Mr. Man, Leodis and I are so very happy to have such a fun, kind, responsible, dependable, and supportive man like you in our lives. 

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"You wanted to be a dad maybe more than I wanted to be a mother and that's saying a lot, because I've ALWAYS wanted to be a mother. I love this for us, but I really love it for Leo! God bless you darling, thank you for being in our lives. WE LOVE YOU!"

In July, Keke opened up about how motherhood has changed her. Speaking at the Howard Theatre, she said: "'It made me just have an ease and a comfortability and a love for myself in a way that I didn't have before." 

What else has Keke said about their relationship?

While the couple tend to keep their romance out of the spotlight, Keke has very occasionally shared a glimpse inside their relationship. 

Speaking to Bustle in March 2022, the actress said: "This is the happiest I've ever felt with someone. So why would I go out of my way to hide this person? That's a lot more work than just living in my life and being in my life. You know what I'm saying?"

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