Dolly Parton was once open to the idea of appearing in Jennifer Aniston’s remake of 9 to 5, but later explained why she ultimately chose not to participate.
The late country superstar made her famous Hollywood film debut in the 1980 comedy, starring Jane Fonda (88) and Lily Tomlin (86).
Nearly a decade ago, it was revealed that Aniston was producing a remake of the cult classic with writer Diablo Cody.
Parton, who died on Tuesday at the age of 80 after a brief battle with cancer, previously expressed her excitement about making the reboot in 2024.
“I hope they use my song, and I hope they find a way to bring Lily, Jane and me back,” the star said, before changing her mind shortly afterwards.
The singer later explained that she and her co-stars, Fonda and Tomlin, were hesitant to make cameos in the remake due to their age.
“I think a lot of it is because we’re all older now. We won’t look so good on the big screen. All of us up there with all those beautiful, young, fresh people… So I don’t know,” she said in an interview with HuffPost published last summer.
Dolly Parton was once open to the idea of appearing in Jennifer Aniston’s remake of 9 to 5, but later explained why she backed away from the idea; pictured in December 2018
The classic comedy starred Parton, Fonda and Tomlin as three office workers who took drastic measures to deal with their sexist boss, who was played by the late Dabney Coleman.
She also said she had “no plans to participate in” Aniston’s reinterpretation.
The classic comedy starred Parton, Fonda and Tomlin as three office workers who took drastic measures to deal with their sexist boss, who was played by the late Dabney Coleman.
In addition to starring in the film, Parton wrote her song 9 to 5 for the film’s soundtrack, which ultimately earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song in 1981.
In May 2025, Parton recalled how she and her co-stars previously wanted to make a sequel, but said it “never happened.”
“Jane, Lily and I have been trying to come up with a 9 to 5: Two for years over the years.”
When asked about starring in the remake, she said Aniston wanted the iconic trio “to be involved in some way.”
Parton added that she, Fonda and Tomlin, however, “have no plans to participate in that.”
‘But I love Jennifer. I think it will be something great,” Parton continued as she hinted at how far along the project was at that point.
“I wish her the best because I thought the script I read was really good and a new and different approach that really brings the office up to date with the way people live now.”
Parton said she agreed with Fonda, 88, and Tomlin, 86, when she explained that their hesitation to make cameos in the remake was due to their ages. ‘We’re all older now. We won’t look as good on the big screen’; The trio pictured in March 2006
Parton, who died on Tuesday at the age of 80, famously made her Hollywood film debut in the 1980 comedy; pictured in December 1996
She previously expressed her excitement about making the reboot in 2024, but changed her mind in 2025; in the photo in 2014
When asked about starring in the remake last summer, she said Aniston wanted the iconic trio to “be involved in some way.” Parton added that she, Fonda and Tomlin, however, have “no plans to get involved in that”; Aniston pictured in June
Fonda and Tomlin also previously discussed how there had been a 9 to 5 sequel that was close to production at one point.
“We had one official crack in the script,” she said People in May 2024. ‘The concept just didn’t work for us. We couldn’t really see the working world today [in the pages]. People work from home. They take odd jobs. They don’t even know their boss. They’re home!’
And in response to Aniston’s remake, Tomlin said: ‘It’s going to be hard to make it happen. My condolences go out to Jennifer and her writer Diablo, who is a good writer.”
Also in June 2024, Fonda, who played Judy Bernly in the film, told Entertainment Tonight that she wished the team behind the remake “good luck.”
‘It’s fun. I wish them the best of luck. They are very talented,” the two-time Oscar winner said, seemingly hinting that she did not want to appear in the remake.
The Jolene hitmaker, who once joked that her husband Carl Dean wanted to have a ‘threesome’ with Aniston, also recalled having a conversation with the Friends star back in 2018 about possibly being involved in the remake.
The Jolene hitmaker previously recalled that she had a conversation with the Friends star way back in 2018 about possibly being involved in the remake. She also suggested that her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus, play her role.
Reflecting on the success of 9 to 5, Parton said it’s “an amazing thing to be able to be a part of something that has been so powerful over the years” and “it’s really amazing to be a part of something that can really change the course of life for everyone.”
“Years ago, when we were making the movie Dumplin’, there was some mention that she might want to do 9 to 5, and I said, ‘Oh, that would be great,'” Parton said, referring to the time they crossed paths professionally.
Although the 10-time Grammy winner did not appear in the film Dumplin’, starring Aniston and Danielle Macdonald, Parton allowed the film to use her existing music and created a new song for the film with Sia.
During that time, Parton suggested that her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus, take on her role as Doralee Rhodes.
‘Wouldn’t she be great? Well, she knows me. She knows the memories I have [from the movie]the singer said.
Reflecting on the success of 9 to 5, Parton said it’s “great to be able to be a part of something that has been so powerful over the years.”
“It’s really great to be part of something that can really change the course of life for everyone. I really think this has attracted a lot of attention [gender] equality,” she added.
