*By Carlo Versano* Comedian Keegan-Michael Key has a full calendar. In addition to several high-profile film and television projects ("Predator," Netflix's "Friends from College," teen romance "All the Bright Places") Key is lending his celebrity to former first lady Michelle Obama's "Get Out the Vote" campaign ahead of the midterms. Although he's known primarily for his sketch-comedy series "Key and Peele," with Academy Award-winner Jordan Peele, Key told Cheddar in a wide-ranging interview on Monday that "if Michelle calls, I'm there." He said the deeply partisan divide in America has inspired him, both politically and artistically, to tell stories as an actor and producer about multi-dimensional characters to show that we're not as different as we seem. "Media has the opportunity to help us show the world all the facets of a person," he said. Part of that mission includes a role in the forthcoming film "All the Bright Places," which is based on the popular YA novel of the same name. The story follows two teens facing depression and isolation in a small Indiana town. Key said the adaptation attempts to show certain ways that young people cope with mental health issues in the modern age. "How is the world we're living in affecting teens today different from how it would have been in the 80s...or the 50's?" he asked. As a black actor, Key said he is also committed to telling stories that don't focus explicitly on racial issues, per se, but include diverse characters with "a little extra spice." "What do you call a black astronaut?" he joked. "An astronaut." For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/why-keegan-michael-key-made-the-switch-to-stream).

Share:
More In Culture
Fugees Rapper Says Lawyer's Use of AI Helped Tank His Case, Pushes for New Trial
The trial of a Fugees rapper, who was convicted this year in multimillion-dollar political conspiracies, stretched across the worlds of politics and entertainment — and now the case is touching on the tech world with arguments that his defense attorney bungled the case, in part, by using an artificial intelligence program to write his closing arguments.
Archaeologists Study Ancient 'Treasure Map'
A 4000-year-old slab of rock is being dubbed a treasure map for archaeologists. The rock was found in 1900 at the site of an ancient tomb in northwestern France and it was declared Europe's oldest known map in 2021.
Load More