Dolly Parton Honoured by Reba McEntire and Sally Field at the 2026 Emmys

Reba McEntire and Sally Field remembered the late Dolly Parton during Monday night’s 2026 Emmy Awards.

At the ceremony inside the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, the two stars paused to celebrate the life of the entertainment legend, who died last month at age 80 after a “brief battle” with cancer.

While opening the tribute, Field described her Steel Magnolias costar as a “real giant.”

“If there are truly angels on Earth, we have just lost one,” she began. “Over the years, I never stopped loving her, though we lived very far apart. I adored her from day one. How could you not? She was genuine and humble, supportive, and blisteringly funny, with a bawdy sense of humour that would send any rude guy looking for a place to hide. I couldn't see then what a real giant Dolly was - not just as an artist, but as a human.”

Field, 79, also highlighted the Jolene singer’s dedication to helping others through her charitable work.

“She was a humanitarian whose contributions have made a profound difference in the lives of so many in her home state of Tennessee, and across our country. God bless you, Dolly Parton, my friend. I am not the only one on Earth that will love you forever and ever,” the actress added.

McEntire also honoured Parton by singing her 1983 track Appalachian Memories.

As the tribute came to a close, the Reba star said, “I love you, Dolly. So much.”

Following the event, McEntire shared another heartfelt message for her longtime friend on Instagram.

“I will always love and miss you, Dolly. What an honor to celebrate @DollyParton tonight,” she wrote.