Turning up the heat! Keke Palmer and Sean Evans surprised fans by sharing a kiss during the September 15 episode of Evans’ hit YouTube series Hot Ones — and their undeniable chemistry has viewers buzzing.
The unexpected smooch came as Palmer, 32, wrapped up her third appearance on the spicy wing-eating interview show while promoting her upcoming films The Pickup and Good Fortune. As they neared the final wing, Palmer playfully addressed rumors that Evans, 39, once called her his favorite guest.
“And then there’s one more thing I’d like to say, Sean,” she began. “Because I saw an interview where you said, like, I was your favorite guest, you know, and all this really sweet stuff.”
Palmer previously appeared on Hot Ones in 2017 and 2021, making her latest visit record-breaking. This time, she decided to see if sparks would really fly.
“And I know we’ve just had some wings, but I thought that maybe we could just have a quick smooch to see if there’s a spark,” she teased.
Evans didn’t hesitate, leaning in to share the kiss. He was clearly smitten afterward, telling Palmer:
“When I’m dying and my life flashes before my eyes, I’ll have that snapshot.”
While their kiss stunned fans, Evans’ longtime crush on Palmer is no secret. Back in November 2023, during an episode of Chicken Shop Date with host Amelia Dimoldenberg, he admitted he had a crush on one of his past guests. After Dimoldenberg guessed names like Jennifer Lawrence, Jack Harlow and Rosalía, Evans finally revealed it was Palmer.
“Very charming,” he said of the True Jackson, V.P. alum. “Very charming woman.”
Palmer later told People in August 2024 that she loved finding out about Evans’ crush.
Is Keke Palmer Retiring? She Clarifies ‘Timer’ Comment About Her Career
“I was living for it,” she said, recalling their “good chemistry” on her 2021 episode. “Not to say that I was surprised or I wasn’t surprised. But when I heard it and people were sending it to me, I was like, ‘I knew the vibes were vibing.’”
Beyond her flirty Hot Ones moment, Palmer also reflected on her career in an August 2025 interview with People.
“I found my voice in reinvention through social media and content creation, and ultimately becoming a producer and taking my traditional roots into something that allowed me to have a little bit more control,” she said, adding that she’s embraced her “meme era” after her viral Vanity Fair lie detector moment and her role in Nope.
