The Emmys took a moment to honor the late, great Dolly Parton.
Though the late “When Someone Wants to Leave” singer was best known for her music as well as her movie role in 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias, she also had some notable, beloved TV roles, including in Hannah Montana and Grace & Frankie.
The Tennessee born philanthropist passed away at age 80 on August 25, 2026, following a brief battle with cancer.
In honor of Dolly, her Steel Magnolias co-star Sally Field first took to the stage to introduce the tribute to her, remembering her as an angel on earth and incredible philanthropist.
Then fellow country music legend Reba McEntire took to the stage and sang Dolly’s 1983 song “Appalachian Memories,” one of her many songs dedicated to her Smoky Mountains roots.
Later, Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy and Dan Levy, all of whom played on-screen children of Catherine O’Hara (in Home Alone and Schitt’s Creek) paid tribute to the iconic Beetlejuice actress.
© Getty ImagesFollowing their appearance, “Stick Season” singer Noah Kahan performed Simon & Garfunkel’s Bridge over Troubled Water, honoring other TV greats that passed away in the past year, including Rob Reiner, Hayden Panettiere Eric Dane, James Van Der Beek, and Nicholas Brendon, Diane Ladd, Ted Turner, Robert Duvall, Robert Carradine, Tim Curry, Sam Neill, among others.
© WireImageThe 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards are airing Monday, September 14 at 8 p.m. ET, live from the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Viewers can watch the broadcast on NBC or stream the event live online with a Peacock subscription.
The event is being hosted by none other than the reigning queen of police procedurals, Mariska Hargitay herself, who is coming off of two wins this season already for the documentary My Mom Jayne, about the life and untimely death of her mother Jayne Mansfield.
There are both mainstays and newcomers leading the nominations. HBO’s The Pitt leads the nominations with 25 for its second season, followed by Hacks with 24 for its fifth and final season, then Apple TV+ trails with 19 for the first season of Widow’s Bay, and 18 for the first season of Pluribus.
© Getty ImagesSome of the anticipated big winners of the night are Matthew Rhys, nominated for both The Beast in Me as well as Widow’s Bay, plus Jean Smart, who has thus far won an Emmy for every season of Hacks, and who ultimately be tied with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman for most acting Emmys for a single performer upon winning her eighth Emmy tonight.
Follow along on the night with our live coverage here, and don’t miss the best looks from the red carpet here.
Read the full article here
