Sally Field remembers shopping at Walmart with Dolly Parton: ‘Can you imagine all of us?’
Sally Field honors Dolly Parton at 2026 Emmy Awards
Los Angeles – 28 September 2026
At the 78th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, actress Sally Field stood on stage to collect her fourth career Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a limited or anthology series or movie, playing Tova Sullivan in Netflix’s Remarkably Bright Creatures. While accepting the honor, she also paid a heartfelt tribute to the late country‑music legend Dolly Parton, who had died on 25 August 2026 at age 80.
The awards ceremony, held in front of a packed audience and streamed worldwide, saw Field pause before delivering her acceptance speech. “I have always admired Dolly,” she told reporters afterwards. “I loved working with her. I never stopped loving her.” The actress recalled how the two were “like being in battle together,” a phrase she used to describe the camaraderie she felt with Parton and her fellow Steel Magnolias co‑stars.
Field and Parton first met on the set of the 1991 film Steel Magnolias, a comedy‑drama that also featured Julia Roberts, Daryl Hannah, Shirley MacLaine and Olympia Dukakis. The film’s close‑knit ensemble cast fostered a friendship that endured for decades, despite the geographic distance that kept the two women apart. “We never could meet because we lived so far apart, but we always reached out,” Field said. “She felt the same way about me.”
When the Emmys concluded, Field posted a photo of the Steel Magnolias cast to Instagram, accompanied by a message of remembrance. She wrote, “If there are truly angels on earth, then we have just lost one. Dolly Parton, rest in peace, beautiful Dolly.” The post also included a wistful reflection on their shared trips to their local Walmart, a routine that the actress described as “never leaving your soul.”
The actress further described a scene from her memory: “We would go shopping together, all of us, and go to Walmart together. Can you imagine all of us coming into Walmart? And it never leaves your soul.” Field added that the camaraderie of her co‑workers and Dolly was a “battle of the bulge,” a playful nod to the physical demands of film production that kept them close.
Parton’s death on 25 August marked the loss of an icon who had risen from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee to international stardom. Her career spanned music, film, philanthropy, and her signature brand of humor and generosity. Dolly’s passing was widely mourned by fans and fellow entertainers alike.
Field’s acceptance speech and Instagram tribute underscored the deep personal connection she shared with Parton, as well as the broader sense of loss felt within the entertainment community. As the night closed, viewers were left with the image of an actress who had not only celebrated her own achievements but also honored a friend whose legacy would live on.
— Maine News Now