Dolly Parton’s Showdown With a Demanding Director on Set
Dolly Parton clashed with director Herbert Ross during Steel Magnolias, facing blunt criticism about her acting. Despite the tension, she held her ground and continued to win over audiences.
Getting a film off the ground is tough enough without drama behind the scenes, but sometimes the biggest challenges come from the people you’re working with. Dolly Parton, known to most as a country music legend, found herself in the thick of it when she stepped into the world of acting. She’d already made a name for herself with hits like ‘Jolene’ and ‘I Will Always Love You’, so it was no surprise when she started landing roles in big films. Her first major outing, 9 to 5, was a box office hit, and her performance alongside Jane Fonda drew plenty of praise from critics. It was clear she had the charisma to pull in punters, even if she’d never had formal acting lessons.
From Country Star to Screen Favourite
After 9 to 5, Parton kept the momentum going with roles in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Rhinestone. But it was Steel Magnolias that really put her under the microscope. The film boasted a cast full of heavyweights—Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, and a young Julia Roberts. Despite the star power, things weren’t all smooth sailing on set. The director, Herbert Ross, had a reputation for being tough, and he didn’t hold back when it came to his opinions about the cast’s abilities.
Sally Field once recalled,
“My deepest memories of the film were how we bonded together after he told one of us or all of us we couldn’t act. He went after Julia with a vengeance. This was pretty much her first big film.”
Ross seemed to have a go at everyone, but he was especially hard on Parton, questioning whether she was up to scratch as an actor.
Standing Her Ground
Despite the criticism, Parton wasn’t about to let Ross take the mickey out of her. When he suggested she needed acting lessons, she fired back,
“I’m not an actress, I’m Dolly Parton. I’m a personality who has been hired to do this movie. You’re the director. It’s your job to make me look like I’m acting.”
Rather than letting the negativity get to her, she stuck with her castmates, and together they weathered the director’s tough approach.
Julia Roberts, who copped her fair share of flak from Ross, ended up with an Oscar nomination for her role. Parton didn’t walk away with awards, but she did earn respect for holding her own and proving she could handle herself on set, even if the director wasn’t convinced.
After the Cameras Stopped Rolling
The experience on Steel Magnolias left its mark. Parton decided to take on fewer acting gigs after that, sticking mostly to what she does best—music. She’s only appeared in a handful of films since, but her time in front of the camera showed she could do more than just sing a tune. Even when faced with a director who doubted her, she managed to win over audiences and critics alike.