Keke Palmer celebrates victory in Diff Avant-garde spelling contest

Actor Keke Palmer, who captivated audiences as National Champion of Spelling Bee Akeelah Anderson in the movie “Akeelah and the Bee,” joined thousands to celebrate Zaila Vanguard, who recently became the first black American to win the coveted title in real life.

“THE REAL LIFE AKEELAH YOU GUYS !! Real life, ”Palmer wrote on Instagram Thursday. “I am so happy in my heart. A few weeks ago I uploaded a video encouraging all applicants and for that to happen, it’s so spiritual! I am very happy.”

In 2006, a young Palmer received rave reviews for her breakout performance as the 11-year-old spelling prodigy from South Los Angeles in Doug Atchinson’s “Akeelah and the Bee.”

With the help of his trainer, played by Laurence Fishburne, and his mother, played by Angela Bassett, Palmer’s Akeelah rose above his more privileged competitors to make his mark on the Scripps National Spelling Bee stage in Washington , DC

Veteran actor Tzi Ma, who appeared in “Akeelah and the Bee” as the father of Akeelah’s co-champion, also tweeted, “So proud! Congratulations!” in reaction to the historic Vanguard victory.

“A major love for Doug Atchinson that made me realize a dream and thank God for letting me live to see it come true,” Palmer, 27, continued on Instagram before quoting an inspirational quote from the film. beloved family.

“’Our deepest fear is not that we are maladjusted. (The film features a full excerpt from “A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of a Course in Miracles” by author and 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson: “Our deepest fear is not that we let’s be inadequate, ”Akeelah recites of Palmer in the film.)

“Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. … We ask ourselves: “Who am I to be brilliant, beautiful, talented, fabulous?” By the way, who don’t you wanna be? … We were born to manifest the glory of God that is in us. … And as we let our own light shine, we subconsciously give others permission to do the same.

No one has shone brighter this week than the 14-year-old Avant-garde, who on Thursday won the 2021 National Spelling Bee Crown with one final word: “Murraya”, a genus of tropical trees in Asia and Australia. MURRAYA.

” That’s right ! One of the judges exclaimed, as confetti rained down on the Vanguard, who jumped and whirled in glee.

The Louisiana teenager, now the second black winner in the bee’s 96-year history, is also a basketball freak who aspires to play in the WNBA and holds three Guinness World Records for dribbling, rebounding and juggling simultaneously, according to the New York Times and The Associated Press.

“Now I can get a nice trophy,” Vanguard told ESPN, “which is the best part of any win.”