Celebrity Death

Dolly Parton's lasting impact is being felt across the pond ... with the Royal Family paying tribute to the late American icon by playing her timeless classic "9 to 5" outside Buckingham Palace.

Video posted by the Royal Family on Wednesday showed the royal band getting in the groove as they played one of Dolly's greatest hits. They captioned the post, "Remembering the late, great Dolly, who brought joy, comfort and inspiration to so many -- including the millions of children given free books through her Imagination Library. We will always ❤️ you."

The U.K. Embassy in London re-shared the heartwarming clip, saying, "Here at the Embassy, our flag is at half staff while our thoughts are with Dolly Parton's family, friends, & fans in the U.S., UK, & around the world."

Hayden Panettiere's death gave her former castmates a reason to get together ... inspiring her former "Heroes" co-stars to celebrate her life and lasting impact on Hollywood and beyond.

Jimmy Jean-Louis -- a veteran actor who played a recurring character known as "The Haitian" in 32 episodes of the beloved superhero show -- shared photos from the gathering ... including a big group photo that featured stars like Jack Coleman, Masi Oka and Adrian Pasdar.

Madeline Zima -- who recently spoke with us about Hayden's life and legacy -- attended ... and Zachary Quinto, who played the infamous villain Sylar on the show, and Sendhil Ramamurthy appeared via video call.

Dolly Parton died following a brief battle with cancer ... TMZ has confirmed.

Parton’s reps said in a statement to TMZ ... she was surrounded by loved ones at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville when she died.

Her reps say Dolly spent her life bringing "joy, laughter, hope and integrity" to everything she touched, and point to her enormous generosity through Imagination Library and her support of medical research.

They add her unconditional love for others was the driving force behind the lasting impact she leaves behind.

The icon died Tuesday at 80 ... and the news hit especially hard because, as TMZ reported, her death was sudden even for loved ones who knew she'd been dealing with health issues.

Taylor Swift is honoring Dolly Parton following the country music legend's death, calling her legacy “everlasting” and remembering her as an inspiration to generations of artists.

“A world without Dolly doesn’t feel possible, real, or right,” Swift said in a statement. She praised Parton for encouraging people to be themselves while giving the world “the ultimate mystery and fantasy” alongside honesty, humor, and grace.

Swift also credited Parton with having “the softest heart” for people struggling and “a backbone of steel” when defending herself as an artist.

The tribute comes shortly after Parton personally thanked Swift and new hubby Travis Kelce for donating $2 million to her Imagination Library. Parton responded with a heartfelt video message, telling the couple she would “always love” them and jokingly asking for their firstborn child.

The Grand Ole Opry is giving Dolly Parton a special sendoff ... dedicating its entire Saturday night show to the country music legend following her death ... TMZ has learned.

The Opry tells us the weekend show will honor Dolly's life, legacy and massive contributions to country music, with Carly Pearce among the artists scheduled to take the stage.

Carly's involvement is especially meaningful ... she got her start performing at Dollywood, and Dolly herself surprised Carly in 2021 with an invitation to become an official Grand Ole Opry member.

Beyoncé is paying emotional tribute to Dolly Parton ... honoring the late country icon as “the north star” who showed generations how to be unapologetically themselves.

The “Cowboy Carter” singer posted a powerful message to her website Tuesday, remembering Dolly as “bold and brilliant” ... while thanking her for the massive impact she made through her music, philanthropy, humor and business savvy.

“Dolly, you were the barometer. The north star,” Beyoncé wrote … adding, “You taught so many lessons on how to be uniquely oneself.”

Dolly Parton's death came as a sudden and unexpected shock to those closest to her ... even though people in her inner circle knew she had been sick ... TMZ has learned.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... when loved ones learned Dolly had been hospitalized last week and wasn't doing well, they began rushing to Nashville to be by her side.

We're told they did not expect she would die during this hospital stay, believing she would recover and be released as she had following past health setbacks.

12:52 PM PT -- Dolly Parton's death came as a sudden and unexpected shock.

11:34 AM PT -- TMZ has learned Dolly was admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville on early Friday morning with kidney and autoimmune issues.

We're told Dolly died in the hospital this morning.

Dolly Parton -- the country music icon behind some of the biggest songs ever recorded -- has died.

Her head of security announced her death Tuesday on Instagram.

We're told Dolly died in the last couple of hours in Nashville.

The cause of death is unclear, but Dolly told PEOPLE on Friday that she was "dealing with some health issues."

Dolly Parton will be laid to rest beside her late husband, Carl Dean ... TMZ has learned.

Bryan Seaver, Dolly's nephew, tells TMZ ... Dolly will be buried in the mausoleum at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville, Tennessee, where Carl is buried.

We're told Dolly will be buried in her signature high heels and a comfortable cotton dress.

Jane Fonda says people should try to stay positive in the aftermath of Dolly Parton's death ... and to be grateful for the legacy she left behind, which should "ease our sadness."

The actress -- who famously starred alongside the country star in the hit comedy "9 to 5" -- shared a post in Dolly's honor Tuesday afternoon ... telling her more than 2.8 million followers she's devastated that her friend has now moved on.

Jane says Dolly -- more than anyone else she's ever known -- will never truly be gone because she was "so present, so powerful, so generous and playful that she is woven into all our lives and hearts forever."

Dolly Parton's loved ones are already making plans to honor the country music legend following her death ... TMZ has learned.

Family sources tell TMZ ... a small ceremony is being planned in Nashville in the coming days. We're told the gathering is expected to be intimate, with Dolly's closest family and loved ones coming together to celebrate her remarkable life and legacy.

Our sources say there are no solidified plans yet for a public funeral or celebration of life ... though it's still early.

It's been a quarter century since Aaliyah's tragic death ... and even though she's gone way too soon, the late legend's legacy will live on forever.

As you know, the singer died in a plane crash on August 25, 2001, after filming the music video for her single "Rock the Boat" in the Bahamas. Investigations showed the plane had been overloaded by 700 pounds.

But Aaliyah's life shouldn't and couldn't be defined by her death ... instead, we're remembering the iconic artist for her incredible artistry and influential style.

Tributes are pouring in for Dolly Parton following the legend's death ... with stars from across entertainment sharing their heartbreak.

Kacey Musgraves was among the first to react, posting several emotional messages Tuesday, including, "Dolly. 💔 This really really hurts."

She later wrote, "The world feels a lot less sparkly all of a sudden" ... and referenced Dolly's late husband, Carl Dean, saying, "So glad she's with her Carl Dean. No one talk to me today."

Donald Trump has announced a national mourning period for Dolly Parton ... ordering American flags to be lowered for one week.

POTUS jumped on Truth Social to pay tribute to Dolly after her sudden death Tuesday ... writing, "There has never been anyone like her, and never will."

Trump then announced that -- beginning at 6 PM Tuesday -- American flags across the country should be lowered to honor her legacy.

Brian Hickerson's magnetic charm kept Hayden Panettiere coming back to him despite their rocky relationship over the years, according to Brian's half-sister.

Ashley Hickerson told the Daily Mail ... “If I can say one thing about Brian, it’s that he is the most charismatic person and he draws you in.” Ashley also said she understood why Hayden was with Brian, who's fun and can make you laugh no matter what.

Hayden and Brian began dating in 2018 and stayed together on and off until the actresss' suspected overdose death on August 16 in Greenville, South Carolina. Brian's brother, Zach, found Hayden's body and they called 911. Her cause and manner of death are pending the results of toxicology tests.

As you know, Brian had a history of domestic violence against Hayden, who accused him of punching her in 2020, according to court docs obtained by TMZ.

A resurfaced photo of Hayden Panettiere and James Blunt together on a yacht is getting fresh attention ... following the actress's death and renewed interest in a disturbing story she shared about an alleged yacht encounter when she was 18.

The photo -- taken in France in 2009 -- shows Hayden and James together on a boat ... gathered around a table with at least 3 other people.

At the time, Hayden was a few months away from her 20th birthday ... but some folks are convinced it's the smoking gun in her story about being forced into bed with a naked British singer-songwriter. Hayden didn't name the celeb in her memoir, but the internet's convinced it's James, even though there is no evidence establishing that connection.