Introduction:
Dolly Parton was more than a country music legend. To Jane Fonda, she was a woman who understood exactly who she was—and never allowed anyone else to define her.
Following Parton’s death at 80, Fonda reflected on their friendship, their time together on the set of 9 to 5, and the remarkable woman behind one of the most recognizable anthems for working women.
The story of 9 to 5 began long before Dolly Parton joined the cast. In the 1970s, Fonda was involved in the anti-Vietnam War movement when she became acquainted with activist Karen Nussbaum, who organized women office workers. Nussbaum’s stories about the treatment of female employees inspired Fonda to make a film about their struggles.
Originally envisioned as a darker comedy, the project changed dramatically after Fonda discovered Lily Tomlin performing a one-woman show. She immediately knew Tomlin had to be part of the film. Then, one day, while driving and listening to the radio, Fonda heard Dolly singing “Two Doors Down.”
Suddenly, she imagined Parton as a secretary alongside Tomlin and herself.
“Dolly, Lily, and Jane,” she recalled.
That vision would become 9 to 5, the 1980 comedy that brought the three women together and turned into a cultural phenomenon.
For Dolly, however, the film offered something beyond her first major acting role. Several weeks into production, she approached Fonda and Tomlin during lunch and announced that she believed she had written a song. With her long fingernails serving as percussion, Dolly began singing what would become “9 to 5.”
Fonda remembered the moment vividly. She and Tomlin immediately got goosebumps.
They knew they were hearing something special.
The song eventually became far more than a movie soundtrack. With its unforgettable rhythm and lyrics about exhausting work, unfair treatment, and the desire for dignity, “9 to 5” captured the frustration of countless working women. It transformed Dolly’s playful creativity into an anthem of workplace empowerment.
Fonda also remembered another side of Dolly during their friendship. She spent 10 days traveling through Appalachia with Parton while preparing for a role, observing the communities and people Dolly knew so well. What impressed her most was the respect Dolly showed toward everyone she met.
Fonda recalled seeing Dolly arrive in rural communities dressed in her unmistakable full regalia. Yet despite the glamour, people welcomed her because they knew she genuinely respected them. Dolly never appeared to look down on her audience or hide who she was.
That authenticity, Fonda believed, was central to Dolly’s power.
When asked whether she considered Parton a feminist, Fonda did not hesitate.
“Absolutely.”
For Fonda, Dolly’s feminism was not simply about what she said. It was demonstrated through the way she lived. She understood that people might judge her because of her appearance, so she took control of the narrative herself. She embraced her image, protected her independence, and remained firmly in charge of her talent, business, and career.
That may be Dolly Parton’s most enduring lesson: strength does not always have to look serious. Sometimes, it can sparkle, laugh loudly, sing beautifully—and still change the world.
And decades after 9 to 5, Dolly’s voice continues to remind working women everywhere that knowing your worth can be its own kind of power.