How to Watch Dolly Parton’s Iconic Movie, ‘9 to 5,’ After Her Death

Beloved country music legend and multi-hyphenate Dolly Parton tragically passed away at 80 years old on Tuesday, August 25. Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, shared the news in a moving video message shared across her social media profiles.“My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly, but so have you. She has always been on your television, your record player, your CD, and on your phone playlist, becoming an extended part of your family whether you liked it or not,” he shared in part, before later closing his message with, “She will always love you.”Of course, Dolly’s passing hit particularly hard for her 9 to 5 co-stars, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, who each wrote moving tributes to the star.“Friend. Songwriter. The Great Harmonizer of Humanity. Dolly. Dolly. Dolly. Forever Dolly,” Lily simply wrote alongside a black-and-white photo of the singer.Jane, meanwhile, shared a lengthier caption that honored Dolly’s legacy and reassured her LGBTQIA+ fans that she was always in their corner.“I never knew anyone like her. She was simultaneously a naughty, playful southern gal from the hollows of Tennessee and a deep, soulful thinker who could see through people right down to their true selves,” Jane wrote, in part. “She was many things…lyricist, songstress, player of many instruments, writer, prankster, visionary, loyal friend, who’d never go to bed before she and her friends had laughed so hard they’d have to cross their legs.”The film marked Dolly’s first role in a major movie, and she has gone on to star in other projects like Steel Magnolias, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Joyful Noise. Here’s everything to know about the iconic movie—and song of the same name—that started it all. Both are definitely worth revisiting after Dolly’s passing.Jump to:What is 9 to 5 about?How old was Dolly Parton in 9 to 5?Did the song “9 to 5” come before the movie?How to watch 9 to 5What is 9 to 5 about?9 to 5 follows three women who bond in the workplace after growing frustrated with their sexist and misogynistic boss, Franklin Hart Jr. (played by Dabney Coleman). The ladies then hatch a plan to kidnap Franklin and take over the operations of their office, proving that progressive changes can lead to heightened productivity.How old was Dolly Parton in 9 to 5?Archive Photos//Getty ImagesThe movie came out back in 1980, while Dolly was born in 1946. That’d make the singer 34 years old when she started filming.Did the song “9 to 5” come before the movie?Believe it or not, Dolly actually wrote the song on set to serve as the movie’s theme song. The song came out in November 1980, about a month before the movie hit theaters. But it wouldn’t be until February 1981 that the track climbed to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It eventually went on to win two Grammys in 1982: one for Best Country Song and another for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female.During a 2024 interview with Howard Stern, the legend opened up about her creative process and how she used her acrylic nails to mimic the sound of a typewriter when writing the song on set.“I was so starstruck, just watching how a movie is made even if I wasn’t in the scene. I was there every day ’cause I wanted to watch it,” Dolly said of her time on set. “So, I would just be watching what the other girls were doing, what the scenes were…I would watch whatever was going on, and I couldn’t get a guitar out on the set…You got to have acrylic nails to make that real percussive sound, but I would just I thought it sounded like a typewriter.”If that isn’t proof this woman is all types of iconic, I don’t know what is!How to watch 9 to 5The beloved comedy is available to stream and rent on several platforms, from YouTube Movies to Amazon Prime Video. While most streamers rent the movie for $3.99, there’s also a free watching option on Philo.Archive Photos//Getty ImagesPhilo Apple TV Google Play YouTube Amazon Prime Video Fandango