Dolly Parton may have been one of the biggest stars in country music, but according to former co-star Danica McKellar, the woman behind the rhinestones was every bit as hardworking and gracious as fans hoped she would be.

McKellar, who worked alongside Parton in the 2019 Hallmark movie “Christmas at Dollywood,” recently opened up about what the country music legend was like when the cameras weren’t rolling. Her memories offer a glimpse into the remarkable work ethic Parton maintained throughout her life — sometimes on only a few hours of sleep.

“She told me she only slept three to five hours a night,” McKellar told Fox News Digital. “She was always dreaming stuff up and just busy.”

Even during long stretches of traveling, Parton apparently found ways to keep moving. McKellar said the singer would sleep aboard her tour bus, wake up early and prepare herself for the day — without a team of stylists doing the work for her.

“She did her own hair and makeup, her own wig and her own makeup,” McKellar said. “And she’d get to work.”

McKellar’s connection with Parton actually began through one of the singer’s most enduring charitable projects. Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides free books to children, included McKellar’s children’s book, “Goodnight, Numbers,” in its literacy program.

McKellar later narrated the documentary “The Library That Dolly Built” and eventually pitched the idea for “Christmas at Dollywood,” allowing her to work directly with Parton.

What she discovered was someone who lived up to her larger-than-life reputation.

Parton was “everything that you hope she could possibly be and much more,” McKellar said.

“She’s incredible. Great work ethic,” she recalled. “She wanted to rehearse a lot, and I was like, ‘I would love to rehearse with you.’ I’d love to just be in her presence.”

But it wasn’t only Parton’s dedication that left an impression. McKellar remembered how quickly the singer put an anxious set at ease simply by walking into the room.

“She walked on the set and made everyone feel comfortable because people were so nervous to meet Dolly Parton,” McKellar said.

Then came a simple greeting: “Merry Christmas, everybody.”

“And everyone just was charmed,” McKellar recalled. “Like, that was it.”

Parton died August 25 at age 80 following what her team described as a brief battle with cancer. She died at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, surrounded by loved ones.

In the days since her death, tributes have highlighted everything from Parton’s music and philanthropy to the Christian faith she spoke about throughout her life. For McKellar, however, one of the most meaningful lessons Parton left behind was remarkably simple: kindness.

“She knew how to make everybody feel good about themselves,” McKellar said.

That, she believes, is part of the message Parton would want people to carry forward.

“Treat each other kindly,” McKellar said. “You have a choice. You have so much power, more power than you realize.”