Parton's co-star Lily Tomlin has expressed she feels ‘rejected’ by a remake
Dolly Parton: Do as much good as you can
Country music legend Dolly Parton discusses her faith, family and music on 'America Reports.'
Dolly Parton would love to be part of the "9 to 5" remake in the works with Jennifer Aniston.
In an interview with E! News, Parton said she would be excited to be involved, along with her co-stars from the original, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda.
"I am and I’m hoping they use my song. And I’m hoping they might find a way to have me and Lily and Jane to come back in," she told the outlet.
News broke in April that Aniston is producing a remake of the 1980 hit through her production company, Echo Films, with Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody on board to write the script, according to Entertainment Weekly.
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Dolly Parton told E! News she's "hoping they might find a way to have me and Lily and Jane to come back in" for Jennifer Aniston's "9 to 5" remake. (Getty Images)
Parton and Aniston have worked together before on the 2018 Netflix film "Dumplin’." The "Friends" star executive produced and starred in the film, and Parton worked on the soundtrack.
The "Jolene" singer told E! she learned Aniston was interested at the time, saying, "Years ago when we did the movie ‘Dumplin’,’ there was some mention that she might want to do the movie, and I said, ‘Oh that would be great."
Aniston and Parton worked together on the 2018 Netflix movie "Dumplin'." (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
When asked if she had any suggestions for who could take on her role in "9 to 5," Parton said, "I don’t know. Hadn’t thought of that. There’s a lot of great young people out there."
Her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus, was offered as a suggestion, to which she said, "Wouldn’t she be great? Well, she knows me, she knows every mannerism I have."
Parton told E! she would love it if her goddaughter Miley Cyrus took over her role from "9 to 5." (Getty Images)
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While Parton is enthusiastic about a "9 to 5" remake, her co-star Lily Tomlin isn’t jumping at the idea.
In an interview with People, Tomlin spoke about the rumors a sequel had been in the works at one time but admitted she’s not sure how the story would work today.
"We had one official crack at the script," she said. "The draft just didn't work for us. We couldn't really see the work world today [in the pages]. People work from home. They take gig work. They don't even know their boss. They're at home."
Parton previously told Entertainment Tonight in 2019 the trio had "dropped that whole idea" of a sequel.
Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin starred in "9 to 5" in 1980. Rumors of a sequel abounded a few years ago, but Parton and Tomlin both said they've never come to fruition. (20th Century-Fox/Getty Images)
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"I don’t think we’re going to do the sequel," she told the outlet at the time. "We never could get the script where it was enough different than the first one, and that one turned out so good."
The film "9 to 5" has already inspired a short-lived sitcom in the early 80s starring Rita Moreno, a Broadway musical and a documentary in 2019, "9to5: The Story of A Movement."
Tomlin told People when she heard of Aniston’s remake, she was unsure.
"I felt sort of the same way I felt about the musical. You know, part of you feels rejected. You think that character's yours always. And you could reembody it," she said.
Tomlin said "part of you feels rejected" when it comes to talk of "9 to 5" sequels and reboots without her involvement. (Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
The comedian also reiterated the difficulties she sees in producing a remake reflective of today’s working world.
"It's going to be tough to make [the movie] happen," Tomlin said. "My sympathies are with Jennifer and her writer Diablo, who is a good writer."
