Dolly Parton’s cameo on Grace and Frankie—who does Dolly play and why Jane Fonda says it's ‘just beyond perfect'

Dolly Parton’s cameo on Grace and Frankie marks the long-awaited 9 to 5 reunion of Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly

Dolly Parton's cameo has been seven seasons in the making for Grace and Frankie fans
(Image credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

With Grace and Frankie back for its final season, the stars are teasing more of what to expect—including more details about the much anticipated Dolly Parton cameo.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight over the weekend, the iconic actress called Dolly’s cameo "beyond perfect."

"It's not just the fact that Dolly shows up. It's how she shows up. What the story is that brings her on. It's just beyond perfect," Jane told ET. "We were both just so moved when she turned that chair around and there she was," Jane added of her and Lily Tomlin's reaction.

We’ve now learnt that Dolly’s cameo comes in the series finale, giving new meaning to going out on a high.

Who does Dolly Parton play in the Grace and Frankie finale?

It’s been revealed that in the final episode, Frankie (Lily Tomlin) has a premonition of her death day and stages a fake funeral for her family and friends to attend.

In the fantasy scenario, Grace (Jane Fonda) accidentally becomes her killer after an accident with some electrical cables, and the pair end up paying a temporary visit to heaven.

To get back to earth, the pair need to trick a secretary (Dolly Parton) into giving them a second chance.

Dolly Parton in Grace and Frankie

(Image credit: Netflix)

So, even in the afterlife, Dolly is working 9 to 5.

Fans online have responded to the Dolly cameo exactly as you’d expect people to react to Dolly Parton.

One wrote, “I’ve waited every season for @DollyParton to appear in #GraceAndFrankie and it’s finally happening… the 9 to 5 girls finally reunite!”

Subtle and understated, another simply wrote “DOLLY DOLLY DOLLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #GraceAndFrankie”

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Brooklyn Decker, the model and actress who plays Grace’s daughter in the series, revealed that she had “seen some footage and it’s so beautiful and I cried and it was so special.”

Lily Tomlin has previously shared similar sentiments about the 9 to 5 reunion, sharing with Entertainment Tonight how "emotional" she is about the reunion and that the show has come to an end.

"We are sorry to finish it... So, it will be very tough watching this last season," she said.

Grace and Frankie’s seventh and final season is streaming now exclusively on Netflix.

Jack Slater
Freelance writer

Jack Slater is not the Last Action Hero, but that's what comes up first when you Google him. Preferring a much more sedentary life, Jack gets his thrills by covering news, entertainment, celebrity, film and culture for woman&home, and other digital publications.


Having written for various print and online publications—ranging from national syndicates to niche magazines—Jack has written about nearly everything there is to write about, covering LGBTQ+ news, celebrity features, TV and film scoops, reviewing the latest theatre shows lighting up London’s West End and the most pressing of SEO based stories.