BEVERLY HILLS – It’s not every day you get to sit in the presence of a legend let alone a legend performing live and in front of you. Today, Netflix made that magic come to life as Dolly Parton appeared before a select number of film and music journalists to sing “Girl in the Movies,” a new song from Anne Fletcher‘s upcoming film, “Dumplin’.”
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Based on the novel by Julie Murphy, “Dumplin'” centers on Willowdean “Dumplin'” Dickson (“Patti Cake$’s” Danielle Macdonald), a high school senior who decides to enter the teen pageant her mother (Jennifer Aniston) runs. It turns out Willowdean is a major Dolly fan and the film features a number of her popular hits such as “Jolene” and “9 to 5.” Parton also co-wrote and performed a few new tracks including the aforementioned “Girl in the Movies.”
The song was co-written by Linda Perry who was on hand to accompany Parton on guitar. The 72-year-old icon was as witty and self-deprecating as ever. She talked about how she and Perry recorded six songs in one day (unheard of) and how much she enjoyed the writing process with her. You can watch Parton sing some of “Girl in the Movies” in the embedded Instagram link here:
Netflix has already released a single from “Dumplin’,” the Sia duet “Here I Am,” but that was a track previously written beforehand and does not qualify for Best Original Song. Speaking of that crowded category…
Warner Bros. revealed today that it would be submitting three songs from its blockbuster “A Star is Born.” The tracks are “Shallow,” written by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt; “Always Remember Us This Way,” written by Gaga, Natalie Hemby, Hillary Lindsey and Lori McKenna; and “I’ll Never Love Again,” written by Gaga, Hemby, Lindsey and Aaron Raitiere. Bradley Cooper performs alongside Gaga on “Shallow” and “I’ll Never Love Again,” but has no writing credits on either song.
Submitting three individual songs is risky for Warner Bros. because if all three get nominated there is an excellent chance they could split the vote and allow another contender to win. Many expect “Shallow” to triumph, but “Never Love Again” is the final big number in the film and also quite popular. Plus, this isn’t exactly a weak year for Original Song.
Besides the notable fact Parton is in the mix (a two-time nominee for “9 to 5” and “Travellin’ Thru”), there is Kendrick Lamar and SZA‘s “All the Stars” from “Black Panther,” the Celine Dion ballad “Ashes” from “Deadpool 2,” two-time winner Richard Sherman’s songs from “Mary Poppins Returns,” Diane Warren‘s song from “On the Basis of Sex” sung by Jennifer Hudson, “Suspirium” by Thom Yorke from “Suspiria,” “Revelation” by Troye Sivan from “Boy Erased,” Tim McGraw and McKenna’s “Gravity” from “Free Solo,” Naill Horan’s “Finally Free” from “Smallfoot,” Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower” from “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” “Keep Reaching” from Quincy Jones’ “Quincy” and two new tracks from Sade for both “Widows” and “A Wrinkle In Time,” among others. And that’s just a sample of all the major names trying to land a nomination.
And here I bet you thought just Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay and the acting categories were crazy competitive.
“Dumplin'” will launch on Netflix and in select theaters this December.
