Vin Diesel has drawn widespread criticism for a tribute he posted following the death of country music icon Dolly Parton. Parton died Tuesday at age 80 after a private battle with cancer.

Diesel, 59, shared an audio recording on Instagram of himself singing Parton's classic hit "I Will Always Love You." The recording, which featured his voice quivering with emotion, was met with a torrent of negative reactions from online users.

Many commenters expressed disbelief and discomfort, with one writing, "I THOUGHT THIS WAS A JOKE WHEN I SEEN IT ON TWITTER WHAT IS HE DOING." Others described the performance as "really weird" and questioned the timing, particularly in the wake of recent celebrity deaths. One user quipped, "This cover is actually what killed her."

Others expressed concern about the resources used for the recording, with one asking, "How much did this studio session cost." Some users noted a sense of collective grief over the passing of multiple public figures, including Parton, Tim Curry, Hayden Panettiere, and Daveigh Chase, with one lamenting, "2026 is taking All my childhood idols."

However, the tribute was not entirely without support. Some users defended Diesel's expression of emotion, with one commenter stating, "I think this is actually pretty sweet." Another wrote, "Leave him alone because yall see jlo in concert," and "I can't hate on a dude for expressing his emotions good on ya vin and rest in piece dolly."

Diesel briefly pursued a music career during the COVID-19 pandemic, releasing singles such as "Feel Like I Do" and "Days Are Gone."

"I Will Always Love You" was written by Parton in 1973 about her departure from her longtime business partner and mentor, Porter Wagoner. The song topped the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart twice, first in 1974 and again in 1982. Parton famously declined an offer for Elvis Presley to record the song, as his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, demanded half of the publishing rights. Parton recalled in a 2023 interview that she always wanted to hear Presley sing it. The song later became a global hit when Whitney Houston recorded it for the 1992 film The Bodyguard, achieving multi-platinum success.

Parton, often referred to as the Queen of Country, had a six-decade career and was known for hits like "Jolene" and "9 to 5." News of her passing came after months of health issues that led her to withdraw from public appearances. In an interview shortly before her death, Parton expressed a desire to continue working and achieving goals, mentioning she had been dealing with "some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl," referring to her husband. She will be buried in Nashville beside her husband, Carl Dean, who died in March 2025. She is expected to be interred in a cotton dress and her signature high heels.