Reba McEntire Set To Honor Dolly Parton With Emotional Emmy Tribute As 78th Awards Prepare Star-Studded Memorials And Reunions

The 78th Emmy Awards are preparing one of the night’s most emotional moments, with Reba McEntire expected to lead a special tribute to Dolly Parton during the Sept. 14 ceremony.

Parton, who died recently at the age of 80, will be honored as part of a telecast already packed with memorials, reunions and major television stars.

Producer Jesse Collins confirmed that the Emmys will include a tribute to the country music legend, and Deadline reports that McEntire — one of Parton’s longtime friends and fellow country icons — is set to perform it.

The choice carries particular weight given the pair’s decades-long friendship and McEntire’s own emotional reaction following Parton’s death.

“Your love, your music and you gave so much with your huge huge heart,” McEntire wrote on Instagram. “There will never ever be another you.”

Reba McEntire Will Bring A Personal Connection To The Tribute

McEntire is not only one of country music’s most recognizable stars but also a major NBC personality through her starring role in the network comedy Happy’s Place.

That makes her appearance especially fitting for an Emmy ceremony airing live on NBC and Peacock.

Her tribute is expected to be one of the biggest emotional centerpieces of the night.

Parton’s death has prompted a wave of remembrances from across music and entertainment, reflecting the enormous impact of a career that stretched far beyond country music.

For McEntire, however, the moment will be deeply personal.

Her public message after Parton’s death made clear how much affection she had for her longtime friend.

“There will never ever be another you,” she wrote.

That sentiment is likely to shape the tone of the Emmy tribute.

Catherine O’Hara Will Also Receive A Special Tribute

The ceremony will honor another beloved entertainment figure, Catherine O’Hara.

Her tribute will feature stars closely connected to two of the most memorable projects of her career.

Macaulay Culkin, who played her son in Home Alone, is set to appear alongside her Schitt’s Creek co-stars Dan Levy and Annie Murphy.

The combination brings together two very different eras of O’Hara’s career, from one of the most famous family movies of the 1990s to the Emmy-winning comedy that introduced her to an entirely new generation of viewers.

The segment is expected to provide another major nostalgic moment during the broadcast.

‘Charlie’s Angels’ And ‘Buffy’ Casts Are Reuniting

The Emmys are also leaning heavily into television history this year.

A 50th anniversary reunion of Charlie’s Angels will bring Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd back together.

Meanwhile, Buffy the Vampire Slayer will mark its 30th anniversary with a reunion featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz.

Both reunions add another layer of nostalgia to a ceremony designed not only to celebrate the past year in television but also to look back at some of the medium’s most enduring shows.

Noah Kahan Will Perform During The In Memoriam Segment

The annual In Memoriam section will feature Noah Kahan performing “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

The performance will accompany the ceremony’s remembrance of television figures who died over the past year.

With the Dolly Parton tribute and the Catherine O’Hara segment also planned, remembrance is set to play a major role throughout the evening.

The Presenter List Is Packed With Major Stars

NBC and the Television Academy have continued adding names to the presenter lineup in the final days before the ceremony.

Among the latest additions are several members of Fox’s upcoming Baywatch reboot, including:

Stephen Amell, Noah Beck, Jessica Belkin, Hassie Harrison, Thaddeus LaGrone and Brooks Nader.

The group will appear onstage while also helping promote the new series.

Several other presenters will similarly use the Emmy stage while representing upcoming projects.

LL Cool J and Scott Caan, stars of CBS’ NCIS: New York, will appear, along with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, who headline Apple TV’s comedy Brothers.

Julia Garner, star of Netflix limited series The Altruists, is also among those scheduled to present.

Jamie Lee Curtis Has A Particularly Busy Night

Jamie Lee Curtis will be performing multiple roles during the ceremony.

She is scheduled to present an award while also attending as a nominee for Guest Actress for The Bear.

Curtis previously won an Emmy for the FX series in 2024.

She is also an executive producer and co-star of NBC’s new comedy Newlyweds, making her one of the evening’s most visible participants.

Another guest acting winner from the previous weekend, Shailene Woodley, is also set to present.

More Comedy And Star Power Added To The Show

With several award categories removed from the live broadcast this year, NBC and the Television Academy appear to be using the additional time to increase the entertainment value of the ceremony.

Comedians Awkwafina and John Mulaney are among the latest additions.

Other presenters include:

Emma D’Arcy, Paul Anthony Kelly, Emmy Rossum and Sofía Vergara.

They join a previously announced roster that already includes some of the biggest names in television and film.

Among them are Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Rachel Sennott, Odessa A’zion, Linda Cardellini, Alan Cumming, Sally Field, Jon Hamm, David Harbour, Marcello Hernández, Peter Krause, Julianna Margulies, Niecy Nash-Betts, Keke Palmer, Amanda Peet and Amy Poehler.

Mariska Hargitay Will Host The Ceremony

The 78th Emmy Awards will be hosted by Mariska Hargitay.

Hargitay is also serving as one of the ceremony’s executive producers alongside Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay of Jesse Collins Entertainment.

The broadcast will air live from the Peacock Theater on NBC and Peacock.

Between the award presentations, high-profile reunions, memorial performances and special tributes, the ceremony is shaping up to be as much about television history and remembrance as it is about this year’s winners.

And few moments are likely to carry more emotional weight than Reba McEntire stepping onto the stage to honor Dolly Parton.

For two artists whose careers and friendship have been woven through country music for decades, the performance is poised to become one of the night’s defining moments.