Queen Latifah Says She'd Love to Get Dolly Parton on “The Equalizer”: 'She Kicks Butt'

Latifah says the country star has "inspired me since I was a little girl"

Queen Latifah is ready to bring a big-name guest on set for season 4 of The Equalizer!

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight published on Thursday, the Living Single alum, 53, told the outlet she was excited to get back to work after last year’s SAG and WGA strikes caused production delays.

Now that the strikes have ended, Latifah knows exactly who she wants to see as a guest star in the upcoming season.

Related: Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah to Reunite on Screen for 'The Equalizer'

"I would love to get Dolly Parton on this show," she said. "We came very close to being able to make it happen last year. So I don't know if we'll be able to do it this year, but I would love to get Dolly on."

The Last Holiday talent added that she and the country music star, 78, hit it off when they previously worked together.

"We did a movie together called Joyful Noise, and she was just the most amazing person," Latifah said of their time on set for the 2012 film. "She's just a real down-to-earth, cool person who's inspired me since I was a little girl.... she kicks butt, too. She's just as funky as anybody. So I would love to get Dolly on here. I'll just put it out there."

"That's my girl," she added. "I just love her."

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The Equalizer premieres Feb. 18 on CBS, and fans will have to wait and see if Parton makes an appearance on the action drama.

Last month, the “Jolene” songstress told PEOPLE exclusively that she’s currently focused on finding someone to tell her life story on Broadway.

“Right now, I'm working on my life story as a musical, and so going on Broadway and opening my show on Broadway, that's been a biggie [goal] in my mind for many, many years,” the Grammy winner said last month. “That'd be the one that I want to make certain I get done while I'm still kicking, while I'm around to stay involved in it.”

She’s aiming to make the dream a reality by "late '25." In the meantime, she’s considering holding a “Finding Dolly” talent search to discover the perfect person to portray her.

There may still be hope for a Latifah and Parton collaboration.

During a July 2023 interview with Greatest Hits Radio, the “9 to 5” singer said dropping dead was likely the only way she’d ever retire.

“As long as I'm able to work, as long as my health is good and my husband is good, the only way that I would ever slow down would be for that reason,” she told host Ken Bruce.

Season 4 of The Equalizer promises to have plenty of twists and turns, according to the “Ladies First” hitmaker.

“We are going to give the people what they need," Latifah told ET. "You will get the family, the love, [and] you will get all the action you can handle. You are going to get explosions. You are going to get people diving and ducking and all that good stuff."

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