EXCLUSIVE: The stars of the 1980 classic 9 to 5 will meet again on the red carpet in Hollywood.
Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton will be honored as trailblazers for women’s equality by the ERA Coalition Forward on May 29 at the LA premiere of the documentary I still work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Directed by Camille Hardman and Gary Lane, the film explores the impact of the groundbreaking comedy and the ongoing fight for women’s equality in the workplace.
Fonda, Tomlin, Parton and Dabney Coleman from the original film all appear in the documentary. This also applies to Rita Moreno, who starred in the TV adaptation of the film from 1982 to 1988 (she played Violet Newstead, the character Tomlin played in the feature film version), and Allison Janney, who starred in the Broadway production played the main role 9 to 5: The Musical (She also played Violet Newstead).
The premiere will take place at the Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center, Renberg Theater in Los Angeles. Zakiya Thomas, president and CEO of ERA Coalition Forward, said in a statement: “This premiere not only celebrates the enduring legacy of 9 to 5 but also underlines the urgency of [passing] the Equal Rights Amendment to ensure gender equality for all.”
Really fine entertainment
In the documentary, which had its world premiere at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, Tomlin notes, “We’re still having the same conversation about equal pay. There have been gradual improvements, but it is difficult for an entire section of society to give up its power and expectations.”
Parton comments: “Who would have thought that 44 years later I would still be working 9 to 5. I believed then and I believe now that every person deserves to be paid fairly for their work… no matter who they are.” I think this documentary (I still work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m) shows that the fight continues and that we all need to do our part to make things better for everyone.”
Jane Fonda (as “Judy Bernly”), Dolly Parton (as “Doralee Rhodes”) and Lily Tomlin (as “Violet Newstead”) in “9 to 5.”
©1980 Steve Schapiro/Corbis via Getty Images
Fonda came up with the idea for the original 1980 film. At first she had an idea 9 to 5 as a drama, but ultimately it shifted into comedy while still expressing its idea of equality. The overall message can be considered feminist, but in the documentary Fonda makes it clear: “Feminism does not mean that women have to take power, but that it means self-expression, it means having agency.”
ERA coalition striker
The Hollywood premiere, which will include a reception, will serve as a fundraiser for ERA Coalition Forward, a group of 300 member organizations committed to gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice for LGBTQ+ rights nationwide. The coalition says: “We bring together interconnected, intergenerational and intersectional organizations under one motto: to advance gender equality. This is what unites us all.”
I still work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m Directed and produced by Camille Hardman and Gary Lane. Executive producers include Larry Lane, Geralyn White Dreyfous, Shane McAnally, Regina K. Scully and Steve Summers. The documentary, which enjoys a 93 percent approval rating from Rotten Tomatoes critics, won three awards at the Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema, was named Outstanding Achievement at the Impact Docs Awards, and received audience awards at the Nashville Film Festival, Atlantic Film Festival and American Documentary Film Festival.
“The filmmakers are planning a social impact campaign to promote equality for women leading up to the fall release,” says a press release. “This entertaining yet groundbreaking film not only serves as a catalyst for dialogue about women in the workplace, but also underscores the urgency of ratifying the ERA to ensure equality for all.”
I still work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m features a new version of Dolly Parton’s theme song from the original film, a duet with Parton and Kelly Clarkson.
You can watch the trailer for the documentary here: