Script and Start function of script are running, but Update function is not?

I have an image and an animator on a gameObject that is on a canvas in Unity 2D because I am trying to create a sort of quicktime event type thing. Wherein the computer generates a random number and choosing among an array of KeyCodes thereby generating a random key. However, this code is on the Canvas as my script UIController. I cannot for whatever reason interact with the animator on the gameObject so what I've done is given my UIController script a public static function that returns the KeyCode chosen. Then I use that function in my animationController script to tell the animator to manipulate the animator parameters to display the corresponding key. However. I've got that code in the Update function of the animationController. The Start function runs. The Update does not. the gameObject is a child of the canvas if that affects anything. I have no idea why. Help.