Danica McKellar reflected on her memories of a hardworking co-star: the late Dolly Parton.
“She told me she only slept three to five hours a night,” McKellar told Fox News. “She was always dreaming stuff up and just busy. She’d sleep on her big travel bus if she was traveling and doing things and wake up early in the morning…She did her own hair and makeup, her own wig and her own makeup. And she’d get to work.”
McKellar and Parton had a long professional relationship; her book, “Goodnight, Numbers,” was part of Parton’s Imagination Library program, and McKellar served as the narrator for documentary THE LIBRARY THAT DOLLY BUILT. The two would eventually share the screen in 2019’s CHRISTMAS AT DOLLYWOOD.
McKellar said the country superstar was “everything that you hope she could possibly be and much more,” commending her “great work ethic” and how she “made everyone feel comfortable because people were so nervous to meet Dolly Parton.”
Related: A Look Back at Dolly Parton’s Impressive Career as a Musician, Actress and Humanitarian
In an interview with PEOPLE, she praised Parton’s philanthropic efforts — “She did so many things. She gave so much. She gave so much money, but she also gave so much of her time and so much of herself to everyone. It takes a lot to put yourself together like that every single time you go…I don’t do that.”
McKellar shared that she thinks Parton would want her legacy to be one of kindness, saying, “Because she knew how to make everybody feel good about themselves. That’s what she taught me the most. And what I think is her message for the world, ‘Treat each other kindly. You have a choice. You have so much power, more power than you realize.’”
Parton died last month at age 80 after a battle with cancer.
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched,” a statement from her team read. “Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand.”
The statement continued, “Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact. After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones.”
McKellar is just one of many who are mourning Parton, and sharing their own fond memories of the beloved country superstar.
Read Next: Friends and Fans Remember Dolly Parton: ‘Thank You, Lord, for Dolly’
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
