Actress Keke Palmer and her three-year-old son, Leodis “Leo” Jackson, have continued their holiday costume tradition by paying tribute to pop icons Michael and Janet Jackson. For this year’s Halloween celebration, the mother-son duo recreated the siblings’ celebrated 1995 music video for the track “Scream.”
In photographs published on Instagram, the pair posed on a futuristic set in matching black outfits. Palmer adopted Janet Jackson’s signature spiky hairstyle from the original visual, while young Leo mirrored Michael Jackson with slicked-back hair. The black-and-white photo shoot mirrored the spacecraft setting of the classic music video.
“Another memory with mommy and son! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH BUDDY. ITS SO MUCH FUN PLAYING WITH YOU!” Palmer wrote in her Instagram caption, adding that she expects him to take over the family business in his own way someday. She concluded the message by calling the collaboration her dream come true.
Alongside the photographs, Palmer posted a video clip showing her performing choreography from “Scream” while Leo sat nearby in a chair using an iPad. She joked in the caption that the tablet device was a life saver and that the moment left her constantly laughing.
The annual dress-up tradition dates back to when Leo was eight months old. In 2023, Palmer dressed as the Bride of Frankenstein alongside her son, who appeared as Dr. Frankenstein. The following year, the theme shifted to television fantasy with a Game of Thrones setup that placed Palmer on the Iron Throne as Cersei Lannister and Leo as King Joffrey.
Last year’s holiday celebrations also featured a hip-hop tribute, with the pair dressing as Snoop Dogg and Bow Wow to recreate the music video for the 2000 release “Bow Wow (That’s My Name).” Footage from that shoot showed the pair performing to the track, with Leo adjusting his sunglasses for the camera.
Palmer shares her son with ex-boyfriend Darius Jackson, whom she welcomed in February 2023.
