Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth has long been vocal about her love for fellow Southerner Dolly Parton, so it’s no surprise that Chenoweth got feisty at the Television Critics Association winter session when talk turned to Chenoweth playing the Grammy winner in a rumored Parton Broadway bio musical.
“Yesterday I heard she said that I should play her again, it all started with her saying that many years ago, and of course I want to play her, but she better freakin’ hurry up and write it!” Chenoweth said. “What’s not to love about her? I love her, she knows how I feel about her, and I’d love to play her.” Chenoweth even penned “What Would Dolly Do,” an ode to Parton, on her country-tinged fourth studio album, Some Lessons Learned.
Parton hopes to one day bring her life story to Broadway and the 65-year-old music icon has always considered Chenoweth the perfect choice to portray her. "I think Kristin Chenoweth is spectacular," Parton recently told CNN. "'Cause she's little and she's short." Despite their similarities, there’s one thing Chenoweth is lacking: "We could just pad her up a little bit up top," Parton joked, "but she'd be great at it."
Chenoweth’s new TV series, GCB (formerly known as Good Christian Bitches and then Good Christian Belles), will air Sunday evenings beginning March 4.