Dolly Parton’s ‘9 to 5’ co-stars Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda pay tribute to late singer: ‘No Words’

Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin are mourning the loss of their beloved “9 to 5” co-star, Dolly Parton, who died Tuesday at the age of 80.

“No words…💔,” Tomlin succinctly wrote on Instagram alongside a joyous photo of the two of them from the premiere of the Colin Higgins-directed film at New York City’s Sutton Theater in 1980.

Fonda, on the other hand, penned a lengthy homage on social media.

“I am devastated. I just learned that Dolly has moved on,” she wrote alongside a photo of them cracking up on the iconic film’s set.

“I never knew anyone like her,” Fonda continued. “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. 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 “Klute” actress remembered Parton’s cheeky side by revealing that she would “stick her butt out the car window and moon Kenny Roger’s (sic) home.”

The actress also acknowledged Parton’s gay and trans fans and asked people to “watch the final episode of ‘Grace and Frankie’ where she’s an Angel, the head honcho working class angel in Heaven.”

“RIP, beautiful woman. We love you. ❤️,” she concluded.

The trio met when they starred in the workplace comedy as three office workers who plot revenge against their sexist and terrible boss, played by Dabney Coleman. (Coleman died in 2024 at the age of 92.)

The film was a massive hit and launched Parton’s movie career.

Patricia Resnick, who wrote the story for “9 to 5” and co-wrote its screenplay alongside Higgins, also lovingly remembered her friend.

“As everyone knows, she was the most wonderful person in the world, and she would write a song faster than anyone I’ve ever known,” she told Page Six exclusively.

Resnick recalled how Parton “would work for 12 hours, go back to her trailer and write another song, bake brownies for the cast and crew and then come out and sing, ‘Happy Birthday.'”

The writer said she never heard the famously kind star raise her voice and added, “I never heard her say anything negative about anyone.”

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Parton also wrote the movie’s eponymous theme song, which garnered her an Oscar nomination and two Grammys. The song became something of an anthem for office workers and women’s rights, and is considered a classic to this day.

The song was also featured in a musical theater adaptation of the film, featuring a book by Resnick and numerous new songs by Parton.

Megan Hilty, who played Parton’s character on Broadway, posted a sweet photo of the two of them following the news of the singer’s death.

“She made more of an impact on me than I can express in an Instagram post and this deep and profound loss will take quite some time to process,” Hilty wrote. “I am so grateful to have been in her orbit and we are all so lucky this actual angel walked among us. 🦋”

Publicist Wayne Wolfe, who worked on the Broadway show, told Page Six the “Jolene” singer was “by far the most lovely soul I’ve ever worked with. Whether you were in the room alone with her or in a room with a thousand people, she was the same Dolly.”

“It’s a terrible loss,” he continued. “She was the most professional, smartest, nicest person.”

Parton’s death was announced by her nephew on Tuesday, following a sudden decline in her health.