Jane Fonda on Casting Dolly Parton in 9 to 5 and How the Title Song Was Written

After Dolly Parton's death in August 2026, tributes highlighted both her music career and her film work. Jane Fonda, Parton's 9 to 5 co-star, spoke about how Parton came to be in the film and the origins of its title song in an interview with Democracy Now. Those recollections shed light on how the movie and its anthem came together during production.

Fonda says she was responsible for getting Parton into 9 to 5. She recalls hearing Parton singing "Two Doors Down" on her car radio and deciding Parton was right to play Doralee. That led to Parton's acting debut in the 1980 workplace comedy alongside Fonda and Lily Tomlin.

Fonda describes Parton as unusually prepared and musically focused. On the first day of shooting, Parton had memorized the entire script. A few weeks into filming, according to Fonda, Parton invited Fonda and Tomlin over during a lunch break, said she had written a song, and performed it by using her acrylic nails as percussion. Fonda and Tomlin reacted strongly—she says they both got "the biggest goosebumps we'd ever had."

The title track originated on set rather than in a separate songwriting session. Parton composed the song while working on the film, using nails for a percussion effect that helped shape the rhythm. Fonda recalls immediately recognizing the song's potential and thinking, "This is it! This is it! At least the song is going to be a hit." The song's upbeat, driving rhythm and workplace-focused lyrics aligned with the film's comic take on office life and mistreatment of women at work.

9 to 5 the movie focuses on the frustrations of women in an oppressive office environment. The song's plainspoken take on the nine-to-five grind fit that theme and gave the film a clear musical identity that resonated beyond the theater. Parton's dual contribution—as a lead actor and as the songwriter of the film's signature track—helped anchor the movie in both performance and sound.

Jane Fonda credits herself with bringing Dolly Parton into 9 to 5, and she remembers Parton as both professionally prepared and spontaneously creative. The title song was written on set and immediately recognized by Fonda and colleagues as something special. Together, the casting and the song contributed to the film's identity as a workplace comedy with a memorable musical hook.