Keke Palmer Cast as Rozanda "Chilli" Thomas in TLC Biopic

Keke Palmer has been cast as Rozanda "Chilli" Thomas in VH1's upcoming TLC biopic. She joins both Lil Mama, who will play Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and Drew Sidora, who has been cast as Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, in the made-for-TV film.

Palmer has been a fan of TLC since she can remember. The 19-year-old Chicago native got her love of singing from her mother, who was a background session singer and often took Keke and her older sister L’Oreal to the studio with her to record. "I knew at an early age that I wanted to be a singer like my mom," says Palmer.  

She was only six when TLC released their No. 1 album FanMail. "I would sing ‘No Scrubs’ over and over again to the point my parents would have to tell me to stop, but I never did, I had my little hairbrush as my mic and nobody could tell me I wasn't the fourth member of TLC."

Palmer is now trading the hairbrush for a real mic with her role as Chilli. "I am a true fan," she says. "I love these ladies and I always want to be proud of my work in any role that I do." The VH1 TLC biopic begins filming in Atlanta, GA next month.

Palmer's previous acting credits include the 2012 musical comedy Joyful Noise alongside Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton. She cut her teeth in acting on the Nickelodeon show True Jackson, VP, and has appeared in other flicks and television shows. She plans on dropping her second studio LP sometime this year, a followup to her 2012 self-titled mixtape.