Who knew that spelling was so i-n-t-e-n-s-e? Keke Palmer, 12, plays spelling-bee contestant Akeelah Anderson in Akeelah and the Bee. Can Akeelah spell her way to first prize at the finals in Washington, D.C.? Watch and see! "Akeelah has so much fun doing the spelling bees," Keke told TFK. "Hopefully, the movie will inspire kids to take part in bees."