Action star Vin Diesel has faced a torrent of online mockery after publishing an Instagram audio tribute to country icon Dolly Parton following her death.
The 59-year-old actor posted an audio clip of himself covering Parton's 1973 classic I Will Always Love You, delivering the performance with a voice quivering with emotion.
Parton died on Tuesday at age 80 after a secret battle with cancer. While her passing prompted widespread grief across the entertainment industry, Diesel's musical contribution received a decidedly more polarized response from social media users.
One listener expressed disbelief in the Instagram comments, writing in capital letters: "I THOUGHT THIS WAS A JOKE WHEN I SEEN IT ON TWITTER WHAT IS HE DOING," accompanied by a string of crying emojis.
Other commentators were equally blunt in their assessments of the vocal performance. Social media users posted comments calling the clip "really weird" and asking "haven't we been through enough?" One critic went as far as to quip: "This cover is actually what killed her."
Another user urged the actor to take down the post, writing: "You have 24 hours to delete this." A separate listener marveled at the production resources behind the venture, asking: "How much did this studio session cost?"
The timing of the post also struck a chord with fans grieving multiple celebrity passings. One user, referencing the recent deaths of Parton, Tim Curry, Hayden Panettiere, and Daveigh Chase, wrote: "2026 is taking all my childhood idols."
The Daily Mail has contacted a representative for Diesel for comment.
Social media reactions split over vocal tribute
Despite the influx of negative reactions, Diesel's post was not without fans who stepped forward with spirited defenses of the action star.
Supporters highlighted the sentiment behind the gesture. One fan commented, "I think this is actually pretty sweet," while another defended the actor by comparing him to other performers, writing: "Leave him alone because y'all see JLo in concert."
A third defender argued that the actor should not be criticized for showing feeling, writing: "I can't hate on a dude for expressing his emotions. Good on ya, Vin, and rest in peace, Dolly."
While Diesel is primarily known as a blockbuster film star, he briefly embarked on a music career during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, he released the singles Feel Like I Do and Days Are Gone through Palm Tree Records, a record label owned by Norwegian DJ and producer Kygo.
Diesel, who achieved fame playing Dominic Toretto in the Fast & Furious franchise, had previously described his musical ventures as an outlet for personal expression during lockdowns. His dance-pop releases marked an unexpected venture for an actor established in high-octane Hollywood blockbusters.
The history of Parton's iconic country ballad
Parton wrote I Will Always Love You in 1973 as a tribute to her former business partner and mentor Porter Wagoner. The song marked her decision to end their professional partnership so she could pursue a solo career.
The track became a major success on the country music charts, reaching the top spot of the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart on two separate occasions, first in June 1974 and again in October 1982.
Nearly two decades after Parton first sang the song, Whitney Houston performed a dramatic rendition for her 1992 film The Bodyguard. Houston's version became an enduring global hit, carrying the movie soundtrack album to 18 times platinum status.
Billboard Hot Country Songs is the flagship chart of American country music success. Parton's composition remains one of the few songs in music history to top the country charts in two different decades with the original artist.
Why Elvis Presley never recorded the track
Despite the song's popularity, one planned major recording never took place. Parton famously refused to let rock legend Elvis Presley record his own version of I Will Always Love You after his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, demanded half of the song's publishing rights.
Recalling the incident during a 2023 interview with BBC Radio 2, Parton said: "I wouldn't let Colonel Tom Parker. See, Elvis loved the song. In fact, I talked to Priscilla not very long ago. She said: 'You know, Elvis sang that song to me when we were walking down the courthouse steps when we got divorced.'"
Parton explained that Presley had already prepared the arrangement, stating: "He loved the song, wanted to do it, had it worked up, they'd already called me to come down to the studio to meet him, and to be part and hear the song."
However, financial negotiations halted the project the evening before the session. Parton recalled: "And the night before, Colonel Tom Parker calls me and says: 'Well, you know we don't record anything with Elvis unless we have publishing on it, or at least half the publishing.'"
Parton refused to yield control of her flagship track, responding: "Well, I said, because I had a number one song on it, I said: 'This is the most important copyright in my whole publishing company, and I can't do that.'"
When Parker refused to back down, the plans fell apart. Parton admitted she was left "heartbroken" by the outcome because she had always wanted to hear Presley record her work.
Her decision to retain full publishing rights paid off decades later when Houston's record breaking release yielded massive royalties, validating her refusal to compromise her catalog.
Funeral arrangements and final interview
Following Parton's passing on Tuesday, details regarding her burial were confirmed by her family. The legendary singer died following a private battle with cancer, although the specific strain of the disease was not publicly disclosed.
Her nephew Bryan Seaver, who also worked as Parton's head of security, confirmed her death at age 80 on Tuesday, with the news announced Wednesday via TMZ.
Seaver specified that Parton will be buried beside her husband of over half a century, Carl Dean, at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville, Tennessee. She will be interred in the same mausoleum housing Dean's remains.
Dean died in March 2025 at age 82 of causes that remained private. His death occurred two months before what would have been their 59th wedding anniversary.
Seaver shared Wednesday that Parton will be laid to rest in a comfortable cotton dress and a pair of high heels, reflecting the signature footwear that became part of her trademark look.
Parton's six-decade music career earned her global renown as the Queen of Country, driven by classic hits such as Jolene and 9 to 5.
Her death followed months of health struggles that had forced her to pull out of a string of public appearances, raising concerns among fans.
In an interview published in People magazine just four days before her death, Parton mentioned her physical challenges, explaining that she had been dealing with "some health issues that I just didn't pay attention to when I was watching over Carl."
Despite her health struggles, she expressed optimism about her ongoing projects, declaring she still had "so many things I want to achieve" and pledging to keep "working as long as I can to see everything come to life."
