Dolly Parton Was a ‘Proud’ Producer Behind “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”: ‘That Little Show Did Great’

Dolly Parton died at age 80 on Tuesday, Aug. 25

One of the many projects the singer was involved in during her career was the hit series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, on which she is credited as an executive producer

"That little show did great," Parton once said

Dolly Parton played a role in one of the biggest TV hits of the late '90s.

The country music legend, who died at age 80 on Aug. 25 , was at one point "very involved" behind the scenes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer , the Sarah Michelle Gellar –led series that ran for seven seasons from 1997 to 2003.

"A lot of my work was done just conversing back and forth with the business people there. And I'd go out for meetings now and then," Parton told Business Insider in 2024. She is listed as an executive producer on the series but told the outlet, "I have to give more people credit on Buffy the Vampire Slayer than me. A lot of people did so much work on that."

"I was very excited about the show. That little show did great," Parton said.

She added that "didn't get to meet all of" the cast, "but I wanted them to know that I was there for them, I was proud of them, and they were doing a great job."

Gellar, 49, previously spoke about Parton's involvement in the series, calling it a "little-known fact" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2023.

"The legend Dolly Parton was a producer," Gellar said. "We never saw her [but] we'd get Christmas gifts in the beginning that would have our name, and I would think, 'She doesn't even know who I am.' And then one day, someone asked her about it, and she complimented the show and my performance. I was like, 'Oh, I can die now. Dolly Parton knows who I am and thinks I'm good.'"

After news of Parton's death, Gellar wrote on Instagram, "Just being a small part of the great history of @dollyparton is everything to me," and shared a clip of the singer talking about Buffy on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen in 2021.

In that clip, Parton explained that her production company with former manager Sandy Gallin, Sandollar Productions, helped with Buffy . "We were a small part of that. I was very, very proud to be part of that," she told host Cohen at the time.

The news of Parton's death was announced in a video by her nephew Bryan Seaver. "I'm representing the Parton and Owens family today announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, Sister, Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next. This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality. As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven't truly felt it until now. It is an honor, an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness."

"My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly, but so have you. She has always been on your television, your record player, your CD and on your phone playlist, becoming an extended part of your family whether you liked it or not. Our family and the team she has entrusted with her legacy will work diligently to ensure her spirit will live with us forever. Dolly was a farmer, just like her daddy; he farmed the soil, she farmed songs and happiness. Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life of wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest," her nephew continued.

"Rest in peace, Aunt Dolly — Aunt, Granny, Gigi. May God bless Dolly Parton, and may God bless you all. She will always love you."

The legendary singer's death came four days after she told PEOPLE she was "dealing with some health issues that I just didn't pay attention to when I was watching over Carl ," referring to her late husband, Carl Dean , who died in 2025.

"Even though I'm still healin', I'm still workin'! You know me — as I've often said — I've dreamed myself into a corner and I still have so many things I want to achieve, so I'm gonna keep on working as long as I can to see everything come to life," she said.