Julia Roberts and ‘Steel Magnolias’ Cast Remember Dolly Parton With Behind-the-Scenes Memories
See what the cast said about working with Dolly over the years
Key Takeaways
- Dolly Parton starred in 'Steel Magnolias' back in 1989 alongside Julia Roberts and more.
- Over the years, the cast of the film has opened up about working with Dolly.
- Here, see what stars like Julia Roberts and Sally Field have said about her.
In 1989, an ensemble cast came together and gave us one of the most heartfelt yet tear-inducing films of all time. Steel Magnolias centered on a group of women living in Louisiana and their intertwined lives. At the heart of the story was salon owner Truvy Jones, played expertly by the late Dolly Parton, who tragically passed away at 80 years old earlier this week.
Daryl Hannah also joined the cast as Annelle, a newcomer who begins working at Truvy’s salon after things in her marriage go south. Sally Field and Julia Roberts play a mother-daughter duo, M’Lynn and Shelby, the latter suffering from Type 1 diabetes. Shirley MacLaine and Olympia Dukakis also joined the cast as salon regulars Ouiser and Clairee, rounding out this group of ladies we grew to love.
In the film, the women navigate all of life’s ups and downs with each other’s support. Viewers got a front row seat to the thrill of Shelby’s wedding, her decision to become a mother and her tragic death after complications from her illness. All the while, the women served as each other’s cheerleaders, sounding boards and shoulders to cry on as they faced all that life threw at them. This enduring tale of love and friendship remains a classic decades later, and after Dolly’s passing, fans are looking back on the film and what the cast has said about bringing it to life. Here, take a look at some of their most notable tales.
Julia Roberts remembers wise words from Dolly on set
Still early in her career at the time of the film, Julia Roberts was absorbing everything she could from her co-stars on set, and in a recirculated clip from a 1989 interview on The Oprah Winfrey Show, the actress looked back on a particularly warm day.
“Everyone had ice on their wrist and was doing the whole thing, everyone was like, ‘It’s hot, can I get some water?’ And Dolly never said anything. And I finally just had to say, ‘Dolly, I mean, you’ve got a wig, and you’re doing the thing, and the wool. Come on, it’s hot! Sweat a little, you know? Just say ‘I’m hot,’ you know. ‘This is a drag!’
“And she said—I remember we were sitting on the porch, do you remember this? We were sitting on the porch and she said to me, ‘When I was a little girl, I wanted to be famous and I wanted to be rich, and now I’m both those things. I’m not going to complain about it.’ And I thought, ‘Okay, I’m going to be quiet for the rest of the day.’ And the way she said it—and I didn’t really do it her way, or else it’ll choke me up—but it was this thing and I’ve never forgotten it. And every time I go to complain or just kind of moan, I always hear Dolly sitting on the porch and saying that, and it kind of keeps you quiet.”
Sally Field has looked back on memories with Dolly
Earlier this year, Sally Field sat down with People and discussed her time working on the film, saying it was “Just a wonderful, wonderful experience.”
She continued, “We loved each other. All of us. We all just completely adored each other. And we would go shopping on the weekends all together, even Dolly sometimes. We’d go to the market. We played games. We’d get together at somebody’s house. There’s a picture that I have hanging in my little office. It’s of Shirley and Dolly and Julia, and we’re looking off because it was the wrap party and there was a big band, so it’s all of our tight headshots, and on my chest is my little son Sam, because he was six months old, and I’m holding his head because I’m trying to save his ears because it was loud. He was on the set all the time and my friends took care of him. Sam has always said that that’s probably why he’s gay,” she shared with a laugh.
A few years back during an episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Sally Field opened up even more about Dolly, saying she was “so filthy” in reference to her humor. “She has just a tongue on her you wouldn’t believe. Everybody falls down—except the guys.”
Want to take a walk down memory lane? Catch Steel Magnolias now on Pluto TV or Paramount+.
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