Credit: 20th Century FoxDolly Parton is many things: singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, theme park owner, Miley Cyrus godmother, Batman villain inspiration, and, of course, actress. Her most famous movie, 9 to 5 (1980), is currently in the works for a “reimagining,” so the question is now: will Dolly show up?
The American icon has not appeared in a theatrically released film since 2012’s Joyful Noise, in which she battled Queen Latifah for control of a small-town church choir. Dolly Parton has appeared in innumerable music videos, TV and direct-to-streaming movies, and TV series since then, but she seems to have bowed out of theaters for the last decade-plus.
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However, earlier this year, it was reported that Friends star Jennifer Aniston and her Echo Films partner Kristin Hahn are producing a “reimagining” (always a vague term at best) of 9 to 5. The project is still in development and is being written by Diablo Cody, so anything really could go at this point, but fans are definitely wondering if the country legend will appear in the new movie.
Dolly Parton opened up about the tantalizing possibility to The Hollywood Reporter, saying that she had been contacted by Jennifer Aniston and Echo Films. Parton revealed, “We are in discussion with that with Jennifer Aniston and a couple of people…We’re hoping at some point there might be a new version of it with new and younger people, whether I’ll be involved as a producer or even be in it.”
It is not quite a confirmation, but it definitely indicates that Dolly Parton is always ready to join a new project. She continued, saying, “I still think it’d be a wonderful idea to do it…I don’t know what will come of it, but it would be great,” and noting the social and technological differences in workplace culture since 1980.
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The original 9 to 5 starred Dolly Parton (in her feature film debut), Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin as a trio of office workers who rebel against their “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” male boss (Dabney Coleman).
The film produced a hit single for Parton and was an enormous box-office success. It further spun off a five-season ABC sitcom starring Parton’s real-life sister Rachel Dennison, Rita Moreno, and Valerie Curtin and a Broadway adaptation with music by Parton.
Clearly, Dolly Parton has kept one foot in 9 to 5 over the decades. We won’t be at all surprised to see her show up in a reimagining or remake or whatever it ends up being.
What’s your favorite Dolly Parton film?