Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin Give Backstory of How ‘9 to 5′ Came Together

We have 9 to 5 thanks to Jane Fonda!

Written by Lauren Laffer
Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin Give Backstory of How ‘9 to 5′ Came Together
L-R: Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Ellen DeGeneres; Photo Credit: Michael Rozman/Warner Bros.

Dolly Parton likely wouldn’t have gotten her starring role in 9 to 5 if it wasn’t for her co-star Jane Fonda. It was during a recent interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that Fonda and co-star Lily Tomlin reminisced about the process of creating their iconic film for the working woman.

“I saw her in a show called ‘Appearing Nightly’ and I was gobsmacked. I just could not believe that so many people live inside of this amazing body,” recalled Fonda of seeing Tomlin for the first time. “And so I totally changed the entire idea of ‘9 to 5′ because of her, because I don’t want to make a movie about secretaries if she’s not in it.”

It was after that first meeting that Fonda was driving home and turned the radio on only to hear the voice of Dolly Parton on the other end.

“Driving home from seeing her, I turned the radio on and Dolly was singing and I thought ‘oh, oh, wouldn’t that be interesting?’ You know, typing and she can’t see her fingers…who would want to see that?,” joked Fonda, referring to Parton’s busty figure.

The two then confirmed that a sequel to the 1975 hit was in the works, sharing that they’ve “got people writing it, hopefully.”

Later in the show, Fonda and Tomlin played a game of “Lily and Jane D.G.A.F.” with DeGeneres, answering a random collection of questions from “Your first celebrity crush was…” to “Something everyone loves but you hate.” Among the questions was “Person you’d like to do a love scene with.”

Immediately, Fonda responded “Liam Neeson,” but quickly amended her answer: “Or Blake Shelton.”

The new season of their Netflix show, Grace and Frankie, debuts on Friday, Jan. 18.