Hollywood mourns 'angel' Dolly Parton during Emmy's In Memoriam... as viewers are left 'sobbing' over emotional tribute

Hollywood paid an emotional tribute to the late Dolly Parton during the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Monday. 

Just weeks earlier, the beloved Jolene songstress passed away at the age of 80 on August 25 following a private battle with cancer. The previous year, her husband Carl Dean died at age 82. 

Sally Field took to the stage during the ceremony to introduce the tribute after starring alongside Parton in the 1989 film Steel Magnolias. 

'If there are truly angels on Earth, then we just lost one, Dolly Parton,' the actress began. 'It was my great, good fortune to have worked with Dolly in a film called Steel Magnolias. 

'And over the years, I never stopped loving her, though we lived very far apart. I adored her from day one. How could you not?' 

Field continued, 'She was genuine and humble, supportive and blisteringly funny with a bawdy sense of humor 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 shed light onto Parton as '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.'

Reba McEntire then stepped onto the stage to perform Parton's 1983 track Appalachian Memories. 

Fog flowed around her as she was also surrounded by an orchestra during her performance of the song. 

McEntire later took to Instagram to reflect on taking part in the tribute and wrote, 'I will always love and miss you, Dolly. What an honor to celebrate @DollyParton tonight.'

Backstage after winning an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series or Movie, Field also opened up about Parton's tribute. 

'You know, as an actor, you spend a whole lot of time - especially me - trying to make yourself cry. And I was trying to make myself not cry,' she shared, per The Hollywood Reporter. 

'So, it was hard,' Field continued, before expressing that she had 'admired' the 9 to 5 singer. 

'I loved working with her. I never stopped loving her, there were moments when we tried to reach each other.' 

The actress further discussed the close 'bond' she developed with Parton after working together on set of Steel Magnolias. 

'It never leaves your soul. And though Dolly and I lived so far apart, we could never make ends meet, we could never find a way. But I never stopped feeling that way about her. 

'And the times we did reach out, I think she felt that way about me. And so, I loved her.' 

Fans took to X to share their thoughts on Parton's tribute during the 2026 Emmys, with one penning, 'The Emmys Dolly Parton section..my heart can't take it I can't believe she's actually gone :((.' 

'#Emmys Reba sounded great paying tribute to Dolly Parton,' another wrote, and a fan added, 'Did that #Emmys tribute to Dolly make me cry? Yes. Yes it did.'

One said, 'We really went from a Dolly Parton tribute to a Catherine O'Hara tribute to all memorial moment of all the entertainment legends that have passed away within the past year up to a few weeks ago. 

'This is too much man #Emmys,' they concluded, as another wrote, 'That tribute Reba did for Dolly Parton was so beautiful I was SOBBING.'

Parton's image once again appeared during the main In Memoriam segment of the awards ceremony on Monday. 

Noah Kahan performed the song Bridge Over Troubled Water as other late stars such as Catherine O'Hara, Hayden Panettiere and Rob Reiner were also paid tribute. 

Home Alone actor Macaulay Culkin was joined by Annie Murphy and Dan Levy as they tearfully introduced Kahan to the stage while reflecting on O'Hara's life and work. 

Jamie Lee Curtis also stepped onto the stage to pay tribute to Reiner and his wife Michelle. 

Parton passed away at the age of 80 on August 25, and her death was confirmed by her nephew Bryan Seaver in an Instagram video.

Her passing took place after being admitted to Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center with autoimmune and kidney problems, according to TMZ.

Parton's representatives soon revealed she died following a 'brief battle with cancer' in a statement to People. 

'Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched,' the statement read.

'After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones.'

Apple TV horror comedy series Widow's Bay was the biggest winner at the Emmy Awards 2026 as it swept the ceremony with leading man Matthew Rhys making history as the first actor to win two leading acting gongs in different categories in one night.

On the drama side, it was once again The Pitt who was the big winner as the HBO Max series took home top honor Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama for Noah Wyle. They earned the same honors last at last year's Emmy's.

However, it was Widow's Bay that made the massive first impression at on television's biggest night as it won in all six categories it was nominated in including the top honor Outstanding Comedy Series.

In addition to Rhys, top acting honors were earned by Kate O'Flynn and Stephen Root in the Outstanding Supporting Actress and Actor in a Comedy Series categories, respectively. 

However, their co-star Rhys was perhaps the biggest winner of the night as he made history by becoming the first actor to earn two leading acting honors in the same night.

He not only earned earned Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy series for the Apple TV series, but also took home Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for The Beast in Me earlier in the evening. 

The Pitt earned the top award of the night Outstanding Drama series on a night where it earned 25 nominations which was the most from any single series. 

Noah Wyle earned the win in the coveted Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series category as he beat out: Sterling K. Brown for Paradise, Gary Oldman for Slow Horses, Mark Ruffalo for Task, and Rufus Sewell for The Diplomat.

Meanwhile, Rhea Seehorn earned one of the biggest wins of television's biggest night and beat one of the biggest stars in Zendaya to earn the honor. 

The actress triumphed in the Lead Actress in a Drama category at the Emmy Awards 2026 as she was recognized for her work in Pluribus.

Jean Smart earned her fifth Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy win in a row at the Emmy Awards 2026 on a night that featured a star-studded red carpet. 

Sally Field earned Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her work in Remarkably Bright Creatures.