Dolly Parton anxious to meet Latifah

Dolly Parton felt like she was going on a date before meeting Queen Latifah because she was so nervous.

The country music legend stars alongside Latifah in the new movie Joyful Noise. Parton plays larger-than-life G.G. Sparrow who butts heads with Latifah's character over how to win a national choir competition.

Although they play enemies in the film, the pair got along famously in real life.

"We talked on the phone about two or three times before we actually met," Parton told New York Daily News. "Then, when we finally met, all day long I was putting on different outfits and combing my hair out. I couldn't wait to see her!

"I was so nervous, it was almost like we were going on a date or something."

Latifah is equally as gushing about working with the 65-year-old star.

"I still sometimes have to stop and pinch myself and say, 'Oh my gosh, that's Dolly Parton!'" she revealed.

Parton and Latifah have both enjoyed music careers as well as appearing in movies.

Latifah still loves rapping and felt inspired to appear in Joyful Noise because of her passion for music.

"When I'm acting, I can just throw on a record, put a song on my iPod and it takes me [to where the character should be]," Latifah explained. "I don't have to go into, 'Who died in my family,' or 'Will I ever have children?' I can just go with the chords alone and I'm there."

Although Parton likes testing out her acting skills, her priority will always be making records and performing live. She would rather concentrate on music because films take so long to make.

"I prefer my music," she smiled. "I'm more of a one-nighter person than a squat-down-for-three-months kind of gal. But [making a film], you have to kind of brace yourself for that."

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