Dolly Parton To Star In Film Adaptation Of Her Novel Run, Rose, Run, Produced By Reese Witherspoon
Hooray for Dollywood! Not the theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, but the actress and country music superstar it's named after, Dolly Parton, who is her own Hollywood-like institution in and of herself. Reese Witherspoon is set to produce a film adaptation of Parton's new novel, "Run, Rose, Run," which hit bookstores this month and has already topped The New York Times bestseller list. Witherspoon is behind the adaptation through her production company, Hello Sunshine, and Parton will play an unspecified role in the film, according to Variety.
"Run, Rose, Run," per the book's publisher, Little, Brown and Company, is "a thriller about a young singer-songwriter on the rise and on the run, and determined to do whatever it takes to survive." Parton also has a new album out now of 12 original songs that she recorded as a companion piece and tie-in with the novel. She co-authored "Run, Rose, Run" with James Patterson, the creator of the Alex Cross series, which spawned the film adaptations, "Kiss the Girls" and "Along Came a Spider," starring Morgan Freeman, and, more recently, "Alex Cross," starring Tyler Perry.
The latter of those films came out in 2012, when Parton co-starred with Queen Latifah in "Joyful Noise" and cameoed in "Hollywood to Dollywood." Since then, her feature filmography has mostly gone quiet, though she did host the 2019 anthology series, "Dolly Parton's Heartstrings," and star in the 2020 Netflix musical, "Christmas on the Square."
'And [Reese] will always love [Dolly] ...'
Witherspoon, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of another country music icon, June Carter, in "Walk the Line," had this to say about working with Parton on "Run, Rose, Run:"
"Growing up in Nashville, I've loved Dolly since the moment I heard her magical voice and saw her luminous personality shine onstage. Beyond her magnetic presence as an artist and performer, she is one of the greatest songwriters and storytellers of our time. Her impact knows no bounds – as a musician, actor, writer, businesswoman, activist and all around incredible human being – Dolly Parton is not only an icon to me, but a true inspiration to women and girls everywhere. My admiration for her grew to even greater heights when reading 'Run, Rose, Run,' a gripping and heartbreaking book I couldn't put down. I couldn't feel more honored to be working alongside her and James to bring this remarkable story to the screen."
As a songwriter, Parton earned a couple of Oscar nominations of her own: one in 2005 for "Travelin' Thru" from "Transamerica," and one in 1980 for "Nine to Five," from the film of the same name, in which she co-starred. She also famously penned and performed "I Will Always Love You," which became one of the best-selling singles of all time after Whitney Houston re-recorded it for the soundtrack of her 1992 film, "The Bodyguard."
Parton is additionally known for her roles in films like "Steel Magnolias" and "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas." Witherspoon, meanwhile, has kept busy producing and sometimes co-starring in a number of other adaptations through her Hello Sunshine Book Club, such as "Big Little Lies," "Little Fires Everywhere," and the upcoming "Where the Crawdads Sing." There's no word yet on whether Witherspoon will appear in "Run, Rose, Run," but her and Parton's talents seem like a match made in country music heaven.