Dolly Parton, the iconic country music singer and actress, has died at the age of 80 following a hospital stay in Nashville, Tennessee, prompting emotional tributes from her co-stars in the hit 1989 film Steel Magnolias.
Her passing was confirmed on Tuesday in an Instagram video posted by her nephew Bryan Seaver, who also served as her head of security, after she was admitted on Friday to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville with autoimmune and kidney problems.
Julia Roberts, 58, led the tributes from Parton's film castmates on Tuesday, remembering the beloved performer in a statement to People magazine. "Dolly was a magical and joyous human," Roberts said. "I hold knowing her as a treasure in my life. The sun has dimmed today."
Sally Field, 79, shared a vintage photograph of the cast from the late 1980s movie set on Instagram alongside a touching caption honoring Parton. "If there are truly angels on earth, then we have just lost one," Field wrote. "Dolly Parton. There will never be another. I adored her with all my heart and will always cherish our time together. Forever. Rest in peace beautiful Dolly."
Fellow cast member Shirley MacLaine, 92, also paid tribute to Parton following the news of her passing. "God sent her to us, and she has returned home," MacLaine wrote.
Steel Magnolias co-stars and Southern drama
The actresses starred alongside Parton in the Herbert Ross-directed comedy-drama Steel Magnolias, which became a box office sensation and an enduring tearjerker 37 years after its release in 1989. The film, adapted from Robert Harling's play, follows a close group of women in the American South who lean on each other through life's trials and tribulations.
Field and Roberts starred in the film as mother-daughter pair M'Lynn and Shelby Eatenton, while Parton portrayed warm-hearted hair salon owner Truvy Jones. The ensemble cast also featured Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, Tom Skerritt and Sam Shepard.
Parton's performance as Truvy earned widespread praise and cemented her status as a versatile Hollywood talent alongside her career in music. The film remains celebrated for its blend of humor and heartbreak, centered on the bond between women in a small Louisiana town.
Hospitalization and nephew announcement
Parton passed away after being admitted on Friday to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, a major academic medical facility in Nashville, with autoimmune and kidney problems, according to TMZ. Her death followed months of health issues that had forced the country star to cancel a string of scheduled public appearances.
In the Instagram video confirming her passing, Seaver revealed that Parton had asked him long ago to share the news with her fans when the moment arrived. "This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago before I fully absorbed it as a future reality," Seaver said in the clip.
Seaver lauded his aunt for having "lived in the light" throughout her celebrated life. He added that she was now "in the arms of Jesus" and reunited with her late husband Carl Dean, her parents, and "countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens."
Just four days before her death, Parton expressed optimism about her future projects during an interview with People magazine. The singer told the outlet she still had "so many things I want to achieve," which included plans to launch a new hotel and museum in Nashville, Tennessee.
Six-decade music career and acting memories
Parton enjoyed an illustrious music career that stretched across six decades, establishing herself as one of the most revered figures in country music history. A prolific singer-songwriter born in Tennessee, she became best known for global smash hits including Jolene and 9 to 5, selling millions of records worldwide.
Speaking with Vanity Fair in 2020, Parton reflected on her transition to the screen in Steel Magnolias and recalled how the role of Truvy felt natural to her. "I understood 'cause I used to always do my mama's hair... I’m good with my hands. So I’d do good hair. So I felt like Truvy," she told the publication. "I felt like I was fit right in that spot, and I really liked the role that I played. And that was a huge success."
Parton also spoke warmly about her experience working alongside her acclaimed female co-stars on the set. "I loved working with all those women," Parton told Vanity Fair, adding with her signature humor: "Somebody said, 'How did you get along with all those women?' I said, 'I just prayed that we weren’t all PMS at the same time.'"
