Keke Palmer and Sean Evans Up the Spice Level
Has Keke finally found a good man who respects her as the charming woman that she is?
Image via Hot Ones CelebritiesDirt Bag Keke Palmer
Are Keke Palmer and Sean Evans at the start of a legendary Hollywood romance? Or are they playing in our faces just for fun? The jury’s still out, but those of us who fell for the Pam Andrson-Liam Neeson PR relationship of 2025 know better than to take a few cheeky comments and intimate pap shots as proof of true love. Regardless of the veracity of the rumored romance, Palmer kept the intrigue alive this week during Spotify’s Conversations That Channel Culture panel at Cannes Lions. During the panel, host Jay Shetty asked the actress if she’s “serious about Sean Evans,” after shots of the two having dinner in NYC went viral.
Her response?
“We’re hanging out.”
Tricky, Keke. Very tricky. We all know “hanging out” could mean anything from, “we are platonic friends having a little bit of a laugh” to “we are spending each day wrapped in each other’s arms on a bed of hot wings.” It really could go either way.
Rumors that Palmer and the Hot Ones host have a romantic connection goes back to 2023, when Evans admitted to having a crush on Palmer while appearing on the other chicken-based celebrity interview show, Chicken Shop Date.
“Have you ever had a crush on a guest?” Host Amelia Dimoldenberg asked. “Keke Palmer,” Evans admitted after a bit of a back and forth. “She’s a very charming woman.” And we know Palmer saw the praise because she subsequently uploaded the clip to her own Instagram story, calling Evans “too kind” in return. Sure, she could have just been being polite, but rumors that Evans’ crush was reciprocated took on new life after Palmer asked him for a “quick smooch” during her next appearance on Hot Ones last year. And so, a new celebrity ship was born.
It didn’t end there. Next, Evans appeared on Palmer’s Baby This is Keke Podcast, where she introduced him as her “potential future suitor” and the pair engaged in some decidedly flirty banter. Once again we must ask: is Keke just joking around here? Is she serious? Is she an infuriating-yet-charming mix of both? We still don’t know, but Palmer lovers (of which there are many) have been particularly excited to get on the Palmer-Evans train after her turbulent 2023 breakup with NFL player Darius Jackson, with whom she shares a young son.
This brings us all to June 12, 2026, when snaps of Keke and “the hot wings guy” sharing what appeared to be a romantic dinner date at Brooklyn’s Lucali restaurant were sent to DeuxMoi, further fueling the dating speculation.
After Keke Palmer turned up the heat on “Hot Ones” with a surprise kiss for host Sean Evans, the pair were spotted grabbing dinner together last night 📸@deuxmoi pic.twitter.com/3wmpBx9Gkj
— deuxmoi (@deuxmoiworld) June 13, 2026
Friday night dinner? Italian restaurant? Candlelit ambiance? Has Keke finally found a good man who respects her as the charming woman that she is? Or are the two friends and expertly trained media professionals just playing it up for the cameras because they can? Only time will tell. But any romance author who isn’t already working on a friends-to-lovers fake dating storyline based on this exact scenario is leaving money on the table.
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