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PEOPLE & ARTS Monday 10 deceMber 2018

Dolly Parton builds on film successes with ‘Dumplin”song

By MIKE CIDONI LENNOX also inspired Parton’s only for Parton, too. Parton’s
Associated Press solo pop-chart topper, a TV original recording accom-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dolly series and a Broadway mu- panied a back-to-work
Parton says she never really sical. The title song earned montage in this spring’s
aspired to be “The Girl in Parton an Oscar nomi- “Deadpool 2.”
the Movies,” the title of her nation and Parton’s new “My nieces and nephews
Golden Globe-nominated compositions for the stage didn’t even think of me
song from the new dram- musical were honored with as being a star until they
edy “Dumplin’.” a Tony nomination. heard my song in that mov-
Co-written with hit ma- Parton, 72, went on to score ie,” Parton commented. “I
chine Linda Perry, the song a handful of other box- was touched by that. The
expresses the rebellious, office successes as an ac- kids got a kick out if it.”
plus-sized title character’s tress, including the screen Like the song, the nearly
secret longing to fit in, to adaptations of the stage 40-year-old “9 to 5” movie
have happy Hollywood hits “The Best Little Whore- continues to resonate with
endings — just like “the girl house in Texas” (1982) and contemporary audiences
in the movies.” “Steel Magnolias” (1989). — and little wonder since it
While Parton said she could In this Sept. 15, 2017 file photo, Dolly Parton arrives at the 69th And she provided her tackles pay-parity issues, as
relate to many elements Primetime Emmy Awards Variety and Women in Film pre-Emmy voice to the 2011 animated well as sexual harassment.
of the song’s lyrics, “I nev- celebration in Los Angeles. blockbuster “Gnomeo and Cue the sequel.
er had a dream of being Associated Press Juliet.” “Pat Resnick (who co-
on the screen. I figured I’d “I had been approached we could all take credit. “People always tell me, wrote the original film) and
grow into that, and I did. about acting in some But if it was a flop, I could ‘I thought that was Whit- (actress-director) Rashida
But my music was most im- things, but I wasn’t quite blame it on them,’” Parton ney’s song. I didn’t know Jones are working on a
portant.” ready,” she recalled. “Then explained, with a laugh. you wrote it. I thought she new script,” Parton said.
Parton was a long-estab- Jane (Fonda) came to me The film, the searing work- wrote it,’” Parton said, with “Fox already bought it.
lished country superstar and said that they want to place comedy “9 to 5,” a smile, adding, “And I Jane, Lily and I said, ‘Yes,
and had crossed over to do this movie with me and became the No. 2 box- tell them, ‘She can have we would do it,’ and there
the pop charts with the Lily (Tomlin), and I thought, office film released in 1980 the credit. I’ll just take the will be three new girls in it,
1977 smash “Here You ‘Well, this is the perfect behind only “The Empire cash.’” too. Forty years later, it’s still
Come Again” when Holly- time, if I’m ever going to Strikes Back,” according to The song “9 to 5” has been addressing a lot of those is-
wood called. do it, because if it was a hit, Box Office Mojo. “9 to 5” a gift that keeps on giving sues we had back then.”q