Dolly Parton was nothing if not honest and — as long as you weren’t talking politics — candid. Many years ago she talked about acting across from some of Hollywood’s leading men.
Find two clips of her discussing on-screen romance below. The first (at 4:40) is from a conversation with Jay Leno. Later (at 5:40), she discusses kissing with David Letterman.
“They all tempted me,” Parton tells Leno, who asked which of her co-stars were most appealing. “I didn’t say I was dead, I said I was married.”
- Dolly Parton died at age 80 on Aug. 25, 2026.
- She’d admitted to health challenges over the past year but never let on that any were serious.
- A statement from her publicist adds that Parton died peacefully in Nashville after a short cancer battle.
Related: Chris Stapleton Tributes Dolly Parton With a Classic
“The best kisser for sure was Stallone,” she says, referring to her Rhinestone co-star Sylvester Stallone. A few seconds later she remembers enjoying his big, soft lips.
“But James Woods … you wouldn’t believe how James Woods can kiss. In fact, I tell him every time I see him, you want a kiss?”
Talking to Letterman, Parton said Woods was very passionate. “We danced together, did a lot of choreography. We liked each other so much that when it did get to the love scenes we really were into it, and he was a great kisser.”
Woods and Parton starred in a 1992 film called Straight Talk.
Both men took to social media in the hours and days after Parton’s Aug. 25 death. Woods shared a photo of the two of them with a caption that said, “Heaven has found its voice. Rest in His arms, angel.”
Stallone shared a wild story of the time the two of them fell off a horse.
Other well-known Dolly Parton films include Steel Magnolias, 9 to 5 and the Best Little Whorehouse In Texas. The last movie she acted in (aside from cameos) was Joyful Noise in 2012.
Tributes to Dolly Parton Nationwide Following Her Death
Dolly Parton passed away on Aug. 25 at the age of 80. She was a remarkable woman who was loved by millions, if not billions, of people.
Since her death, people have been looking for ways to honor her life and legacy all across the nation. From landmarks lighting up pink, to flowers being laid down at her home, the nation is showing up to return the love she gave to us.
Gallery Credit: Jess Rose
Remembering the Country Stars Who Died in 2026
So far in 2026, country fans have mourned the deaths of country legends and other large-looming figures of pop culture. Keep reading to remember the singers, musicians, actors and other notable figures we’ve lost this year.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
