Keke Palmer is still trying to reckon with the sexual abuse allegations leveled against her former mentor, R. Kelly.
Over the weekend, Palmer went on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen to speak about watching the Surviving R. Kelly docuseries— which investigates various allegations of Kelly's sexual misconduct — calling the entire thing "eye-opening, painful, sad, disappointing, and heartbreaking."
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According to Palmer, the allegations were a surprise to her, as that wasn't a side of Kelly she knew.
"That's not the person that I worked with. That's not the experience I had. So, just imagine if you're having a great experience with someone and then you're hearing all this stuff it's like, 'Why didn't you show them what you showed me?'" Palmer said. "That's the feeling I had."
Palmer also alluded to the betrayal she felt while watching the series, saying that she "hated talking about it because I felt like, man, you were a friend to me but then I'm seeing you as a foe to others and I'm hurt for them." However, she added that it was all "very sad," and that "anybody that loved him as a person probably feels that way."
That said, Palmer has previously spoken about her experience watching Surviving R. Kelly. Back when the series first aired, Palmer took to her Instagram to write a lengthy post about her disappointment and sadness surrounding the situation.
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"Understanding the obstacles he overcame as a child to actually be birthed into the musical genius he is today," she said, before continuing, "All to put others through the same darkness he was running from is the most disheartening thing to accept."
Palmer then went on to say Kelly "slapped God in the face by his actions towards these women," and that she was heartbroken over the fact that "he repeatedly took advantage" of these women.
"I will stand by my sisters because that's simply what's right and what I hope discontinues this behavior in anyone," she concluded. "We have to be good to eachother, 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."
Kelly is currently facing 18 charges related to the sexual abuse of four women — three of whom were underage at the time of the alleged misconduct, per Page Six. However, Kelly continues to maintain his innocence, telling Gayle King back in March that he's "fighting for my fucking life."
"You can start a rumor on a guy like me or a celebrity just like that," he said. "All you have to do is push a button on your phone and say so and so did this to me, R. Kelly did this to me."
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