If watching celebrities walk the red carpet and receive awards weren't enough of a reason to tune into the 2017 Screen Actors Guild Awards on Jan 29, maybe this is: Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton will present Lily Tomlin with a Life Achievement Award at the ceremony. The three Hollywood icons starred together in the 1980's comedy 9 to 5. The film focused on the careers of three working women who get a chance to overthrow their sexist and tyrannical boss. Many consider it to be ahead of its time and prescient given the current feminist movement.
There will be a 9 to 5 reunion at the SAG Awards
“My ideas for films always come from things that I hear and perceive in my daily life,” Jane told The Canberra Times in 1981. "In that case, a very old friend of mine had started an organization in Boston called 'Nine To Five,’ which was an association of women office workers. I heard them talking about their work and they had some great stories. And I've always been attracted to those 1940s films with three female stars."
Screenwriter Patricia Resnick told Rolling Stone back in 2015 that the roles were written specifically for the three actresses. "We had Jane for sure, because it was her idea to do the film and it was her production company," Resnick said. "It was written for Dolly and Lily, but we did not have them under contract. We really wanted them, but we did have some backup ideas in case they turned us down. For Lily, it was Carol Burnett, and for Dolly, it was Ann-Margret. But I had Dolly, Lily and Jane in my head the whole time, and we were really hoping that's who it was going to be."
Dolly, Lily and Jane starred together in the 1980's comedy 9 to 5
While the trio hasn't been seen together in years, word is they've remained friends. Jane and Lily even star in Netflix's hit series Grace and Frankie together.
This won't be the first major honour for Lily. Over the course of her career, the 77-year-old has won multiple Emmys, two Tonys, a Grammy and has been nominated for several Golden Globe and Oscar statues.
"From Edith Ann to Frankie, her characters are wholly unique, and by exposing every nuance of human behavior they widen our scope of understanding," said SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris in a statement. "She has an ability to create diverse and distinct characters that are at once familiar, eccentric, and oh so honest — in a way that illuminates life’s hidden corners."
Previous recipients of the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award honour include Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Julie Andrews and Betty White.
