So I know that for a long time people have been saying that Kristin Chenoweth is going to play Dolly Parton in a Dolly biopic. But now it seems like there is some buzz about Megan Hilty's performance in 9 to 5 making her a contender for the role. I've given it a lot of thought (probably spent waaaay more time thinking about this than is normal but whatever) here is what I think should happen.
Kristin Chenoweth should play Dolly in the biopic which would be more of a Walk the Line genre movie. Kristin could be singing all of Dolly's songs. Megan Hilty should play Dolly in the broadway musical based on Dolly's life, which would be more of a Funny Girl type of show. Also I think Dolly should write the new music to the broadway musical about her life. am I making sense? Agree? disagree? ideas???
Without bread we'd just be hungry
but without theatre we'd be dead
I Love Dolly, but has she had a dramatic enough life, like Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, Johnny Cash, Tina Turner, Billie Holiday or Janis Joplin to make a great flick? Most of those had drug or alcohol or mental or abuse problems. What's Dolly got, besides the struggle out of Pigeon Holla'? And her husband seems to be the most loyal, unassuming guy. I just don't see the story?
But by Megan's performance alone in NINE TO FIVE, she seems to be the logical choice, maybe Cheno can play her Mother.
Although Megan Hilty is fantastically talented, I feel it would be far too risky to put a 'nobody' into a film that could be potentially massive. Even Chenoweth might be too unknown, and she's been popping up here and there in films/tv for years.
That being said, I reckon a lot of people - myself included - feel Chenoweth was born to play Dolly, and if she was given the chance to shine, she'd probably find herself with an Oscar nod.
Assuming, however, the script's good, because I also feel that Dolly's life story isn't a huge roller-coaster of drama.