Intro for November 13, 2025

Dear Gossips,   

Dolly Parton covers the new issue of PEOPLE Magazine, just revealed yesterday. It’s great to see her, always, but especially now since she’s had some health issues recently, and then her sister went rogue and scared everyone into thinking it was worse than it was. Not that Dolly wasn’t legitimately ailing and had to postpone her Vegas residency from this December to next September, but unnecessary alarms bells were set off, which Dolly then had to correct… and the world breathed a sigh of relief. 

So it’s great to see her, as Dolly as ever, on PEOPLE’s front page, along with a 20+ minute interview just to make sure everyone knows she’s doing OK. And that she’s still working. Dolly will turn 80 in January, but as she tells the magazine, “I ain’t got time to get old!”

Conveniently too, her cover issue is dropping just days ahead of a major event on the Hollywood calendar. The Academy Governors Awards are happening this weekend and this year, Dolly is the recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, an honorary Oscar. It was reported several weeks ago, though, that Dolly would not be attending the ceremony. About a week later is when her sister asked for prayers on social media, setting off all that speculation. Not sure if anything has changed where Dolly’s status for the Governors Awards is concerned but the PEOPLE Magazine cover story coming out this week might have been timed to assure people in advance that if we don’t see her on Sunday at the Governors Awards, that we shouldn’t panic. 

The Governors Awards are not only important for the people being honoured, the night is also a key stop on the campaign circuit for those who are hoping to be honoured at the Oscars in a few months. Most of the contenders will be in attendance, especially since so many of the races are looking quite competitive right now. Jessie Buckley might be the only real frontrunner in the acting categories at the moment, but after what happened last year, with both Demi Moore and Timothée Chalamet winning the SAG and not winning the Oscar a couple of weeks later, I don’t think we can call anyone a lock at this point for anything. 

Jessie is one of the cover stars of ELLE’s Women in Hollywood issue and it’ll be interesting to see if she shows up on Sunday.

ELLE was able to secure several candidates in the race for their annual feature. The other day in this space I wrote about Sinners, and how comparatively quiet their campaign has been, and in particular Wunmi Mosaku who should 100% be a nominee in the Best Supporting Actress category. Wunmi, Jayme Lawson, and Hailee Steinfeld – the women of Sinners – share a cover for the magazine and hopefully will have more of a presence as award season heats up.

I expect to see Rose Byrne there, as she has definitely been hustling for a nomination over the last few months for her outstanding work in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. As both Sarah and I have said as the race has intensified, Rose is staying in the game, she’s well-connected in Hollywood. And many are predicting that she’ll come through on nomination day. 

And while Ariana Grande right now is picking up a lot of momentum for back-to-back Best Supporting Actress nominations with the imminent release of Wicked: For Good, Teyana Taylor has the advantage of being the heart and soul of the film that many are projecting to come away with the most nominations overall this year, One Battle After Another. At this point, she’s looking good for her first Oscar nomination, no jinx.

Emily Blunt, meanwhile, by my estimation, is hovering in the sixth or seventh spot for her performance in The Smashing Machine. Right now, many experts are saying Amy Madigan (Weapons) has pulled ahead. There’s still time, though, and Emily’s been here before and she knows how to work the circuit. 

Like I said, almost all of ELLE’s cover stars for this issue are in the race. Including Chase Infiniti, the breakout star of this award season in One Battle After Another who’s hoping to get into the fourth or fifth spot right now in the Best Actress category. 

And while Jessie Buckley leads in the Best Actress race, Renate Reinsve might be in second. She too has an ELLE cover and has been very visible on the circuit. I can’t imagine the Sentimental Value team wouldn’t want her at the Governors Awards on Sunday to continue their push. 

This is what makes it fun, when there actually is so much that could swing. When we haven’t yet crowned a winner in November. More Oscar possibilities and Governors Awards content later today. 

Yours in gossip, 

Lainey