<p id=”par-1_61″>In the years since <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/dolly-parton/”>Dolly Parton</a> left her hometown, she has recorded albums, starred in <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/movies/”>films</a>, hosted television shows, and won countless awards. The girl who left Sevierville, Tennessee, after graduating from high school grew into a bona fide superstar. Years into her career, Parton had a chance to play the version of herself who never left home in a film.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-dolly-parton-said-she-played-her-hometown-self-in-one-movie”>Dolly Parton said she played her hometown self in one movie</h2>
<p id=”par-2_23″>In 1989, Parton appeared in <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/steel-magnolias-dolly-parton-end-up-new-job-filming.html/”>the film <em>Steel Magnolias</em> </a>as salon owner Truvy Jones. Parton liked that Truvy wasn’t too different from herself.</p>
<p id=”par-3_45″>“She’s a pretty flamboyant lady and so am I,” she said, per the book <em>Smart Blonde</em> by Stephen Miller. “She has a great sense of humour, a big heart and a big mouth … and how different is that from me, specially the big mouth?”</p>
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<iframe title=”STEEL MAGNOLIAS [1989] – Official Trailer” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/d8nojAKKijA?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<p id=”par-4_32″>In many ways, Parton felt that if she’d stayed in her hometown, she probably would have been just like Truvy. She felt as though she was playing an alternate-reality version of herself. </p>
<p id=”par-5_34″>“You’ll see the Dolly I would have been had I stayed at home,” she said. “She has a good attitude, full of jokes, full of heart, and tries to keep the peace with everybody.”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-she-said-the-director-of-steel-magnolias-was-hard-on-her”>She said the director of ‘Steel Magnolias’ was hard on her</h2>
<p id=”par-6_21″>While Parton didn’t have to stretch herself too far to embody Truvy, director Herbert Ross wanted to <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/dolly-parton-said-steel-magnolias-director-wasnt-a-fan-of-her-acting-he-didnt-particularly-like-me.html/”>see more from her</a>. </p>
<p id=”par-7_66″>“He didn’t particularly like me or Julia Roberts at the start, and was very hard on us,” Parton wrote in her book <em>Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business</em>. “Julia Roberts was not the big star she is now, and I think Herbert Ross resented having to use her. He told me I couldn’t act. This was not news to me, and I told him so.”</p>
<p id=”par-8_7″>Parton wouldn’t put up with much criticism.</p>
<p id=”par-9_26″>“Well hell, I know I can’t act,” she told the director. “It’s your job to teach me how. You hired me to make money for you.”</p>
<p id=”par-10_15″>Parton’s co-star, Sally Field, recalled feeling shocked when Ross told Parton to take acting lessons.</p>
<p id=”par-11_27″>“You don’t say that to Dolly Parton!” Field told <a target=”_blank” href=”https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/julia-roberts-was-tortured-by-steel-magnolias-director-says-sally-field-2013264/” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Us Weekly</a>. “Dolly Parton is absolutely the funniest, wittiest and filthiest, and she will cut you to ribbons.”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-dolly-parton-s-hometown-is-proud-of-her”>Dolly Parton’s hometown is proud of her</h2>
<p id=”par-12_66″>Though Parton hasn’t lived in her hometown for many years, they still take an <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/dolly-parton-day-singers-hometown-make-family-uncomfortable.html/”>immense amount of pride</a> in her. Sevierville has <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/dolly-parton-shared-heartwarming-way-father-helped-keep-legacy-clean.html/”>a statue of Parton</a> outside the courthouse and there are numerous murals celebrating her throughout the city. One depicts butterfly wings in honor of her song “Love is Like a Butterfly,” and another shows her at one of her favorite restaurants as a child.</p>
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<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-width=”550″ data-dnt=”true”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Did you know Sevierville is Dolly Parton’s hometown? Experience the charm and fun of this mountain gem! <img src=”https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72×72/1f3b8.png” alt=”🎸” class=”wp-smiley” style=”height: 1em; max-height: 1em;” /><img src=”https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72×72/1f3a2.png” alt=”🎢” class=”wp-smiley” style=”height: 1em; max-height: 1em;” /> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/DollysHometown?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#DollysHometown</a> <a href=”https://t.co/iZu31OX8jw”>pic.twitter.com/iZu31OX8jw</a></p>— Visit Sevierville (@SevierFun) <a href=”https://twitter.com/SevierFun/status/1658112753825923073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>May 15, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
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<p id=”par-13_38″>“Dolly Parton is proud of her hometown of Sevierville, Tennessee — and the feeling is mutual,” reads the town’s website. “Dolly got her start in Sevierville and her lingering presence is celebrated every day throughout the historic downtown.”</p>