Jane Fonda has teased Dolly Parton’s cameo on the final season of Netflix’s Grace and Frankie. The icon reunited with her other 9 to 5 pal Lily Tomlin to play Grace Hanson and Frankie Bergstein, two women who form an unlikely bond after their respective husbands reveal they are secretly in love with each other. The series hit Netflix in 2015, gaining massive attention for both its cast and subject matter. Though Grace and Frankie season 1 received middling reviews, the series has gotten better with age, growing into a bigger hit for Netflix season after season.
Grace and Frankie‘s final season 7 premiered in August of 2021, teasing audiences with only four episodes. As the subsequent Grace and Frankie season 7, part 2 geared up for a 2022 release, both Fonda and Tomlin have been teasing what’s to come. With a very heartfelt recent season 7 trailer that hinted at an emotional ending, the dynamic duo have certainly drummed up excitement. Of course, nothing has conjured up more anticipation than the announcement that their legendary friend Dolly Parton would appear on Grace and Frankie.
Fonda opened up about Parton’s highly-anticipated Grace and Frankie cameo while making an appearance with Tomlin on The Late Late Show with James Corden. As the pair elaborated on season 7 and the show’s ending, Fonda was sure to bring up the one and only country music star. While not giving away any specifics, Fonda described Parton’s role as “beautiful” and “moving.” Read her quote below:
“I mean Dolly joins us – Dolly Parton. It’s not just that Dolly joins us, it’s the way that she’s brought into the story that will knock your socks off. It is so beautiful and so moving and unique. I’m just thrilled with it.”
Tomlin wholeheartedly agreed with her co-star, nodding along beside her. It seems both Tomlin and Fonda, who also executive produce the series, are very pleased with the way Parton’s cameo turned out. Pop culture junkies already know that Tomlin, Fonda and Parton have both a personal and professional history due to their turn in the beloved film 9 to 5. Just like Grace & Frankie, the movie oozed female empowerment, uniting the threesome in a shared mission to seek revenge on their bigoted boss. The timeless tale has spawned a 9 to 5 spin-off TV show, Broadway musical, and various mini reunions over the years, including a new documentary Still Working 9 to 5.
Fonda’s “knock your socks off” categorization of Parton’s upcoming cameo certainly jumpstarts the already sky-high anticipation surrounding her appearance. The truth is, whether the lauded talent appears as herself or a random character that pops into the Grace and Frankie storyline, her presence will be exceptional no matter what. In true Parton form, it’s likely some Dolly-isms will be imparted on both Grace and Frankie before the series is up. When giving something a grand sendoff, there’s no better person to call upon than Dolly Parton. Grace and Frankie will certainly be all the better for having her when the final episodes of season 7 premiere Friday, April 29 on Netflix.
