The Surprising Chemistry of Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at ‘The Pickup’

The Co-Stars Get Candid About Their On-Set Vibe, Filming “Naked” Scenes, and the Pure Joy of Working with Comedy Legend Eddie Murphy.

Los Angeles, California, August 7, 2025: Fans have been talking about the upcoming Prime Video movie “The Pickup” ever since the teaser came out. The stars, Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson, have a lot of chemistry, which is clear from the trailer. But what was it truly like for the two actors to work together, especially during the film’s most exciting scenes?

Palmer told Entertainment Weekly everything in an open interview, and it turns out that the chemistry is really real. “I really think he and I have chemistry,” Palmer replied, and then he laughed and continued, “Look, I don’t know anybody that Pete doesn’t have chemistry with.” I mean, women really like him.

This was not their first time working together. Palmer remembered working with Davidson on the Audible audiobook Hit Job and that they had a natural connection “even just with our voices.” She said that certain people just have an undeniable “vibe” that works on set, even if they don’t communicate to each other every day. That was the situation with her and Davidson.

Palmer claimed that the more intimate sequences were surprisingly comfortable. “First of all, he’s so sweet, so even though we were naked and stuff, it was fine,” she said. Palmer says that the scenes were filmed early in the process, and both performers were so delighted to be on set with the great Eddie Murphy that any awkwardness quickly went away. “We were like, ‘Hey, this is cool. Have you met Eddie yet? “Have you met Eddie yet?” she remembered.

The One of Them Days star said that both she and Davidson had a strong sense of purpose for this film and were “putting our best foot forward.” Davidson began doing stand-up comedy at 12 and Palmer began acting at 9. Working alongside a legend like Murphy seemed like the best reward for all their hard work.

Palmer ended by saying, “For us, these are the moments we dreamed of, so we were just really happy to be there.”