Dolly Parton's niece dyed her hair red so she wouldn't be recognized on 'Claim to Fame'
NBCUniversal/ABC/Gizelle Hernandez
- Dolly Parton's niece Jada Star Roberts recently appeared on ABC's reality show "Claim to Fame."
- Roberts dyed her hair red and went by "Jane" to hide her famous identity on the show.
- She said Parton was "really proud" of her decision to go on the show.
Dolly Parton is easily one of the most famous blondes in the world.
So when Parton's niece Jada Star Roberts joined the second season of "Claim to Fame" — the reality show where contestants with famous relatives try to discover each other's celebrity connection — she knew she had to dye her hair.
Roberts went from blonde to red and told everyone in the house that her name was Jane. Unfortunately, her secret identity was revealed during the third episode, but Roberts was happy to talk about all things Dolly Parton with Entertainment Weekly after her elimination — and reveal what it's really like when your aunt is a global icon.
It was actually Parton who gave Roberts the name Jada Star, and Roberts — who is a singer herself — also worked at Dollywood for nine years.
Roberts said Parton was "really proud" of her decision to go on "Claim to Fame."
"In my family, which is full of such amazing, bright, shining, loud, talented people, I am very quiet, surprisingly," Roberts told Entertainment Weekly. "And so she was really excited and kind of impressed that I did this scary thing."
"She knew it was scary for me. She knew that leaving my husband and my teenager was gonna be damn near impossible for me to do," she added.
Roberts said Parton also gave her some advice before she started filming, saying, "Be yourself," and, "Let people get to know who you are."
Parton is beloved for her philanthropy and kindness, and Roberts said her aunt has always been her role model.
"She's the most genuine, honest, real person," Roberts said. "She taught me that even though I may feel like an awkward, weird person, just be that person, because the people that love that person are who you need in your life, and the people that don't, you don't need in your life."
"Strangers love her as much as I do and she's my aunt, and that is so heavy and so beautiful and so special and magical," she added. "And so I want the people that love her to feel safe and comfortable knowing that they can love her and that she is that good person."