- Joan Collins is known for 'Dynasty'
- But she is so much more than her hit role
- She talks about her life before big break
Joan Collins talks life before 'Dynasty'
Joan Collins (90) is not just "Alexis Carrington Colby", the character she famously portrayed on the 80's soap opera 'Dynasty'. She's a trendsetter, a mother, a wife and soon to be "Wallis Simpson" in an upcoming biopic! But for now, she's serving up some "Alexis"-style witticisms from her London home that she shares with husband Percy Gibson.
When asked about her thoughts on Madonna, with whom she shares an ex-lover, Warren Beatty, Joan Collins replies, “I’m not a fan of anybody,” followed by a cheeky laugh.
She began her acting career as a child, but her breakthrough role was a juvenile delinquent in the 1952 British prison drama, 'I Believe in You'. She was soon attached to 20th Century Fox in Hollywood. Over the years she played mostly forgettable roles but remained in the spotlight because of her incredible beauty. She was crowned the "prettiest girl in England" in 1958, however studio execs told Joan she was "fat and ugly". Things changed when 'Dynasty' came along.
'Dynasty': A Chinese restaurant or a career-defining role?
Joan Collins recalls her initial reaction to the iconic show: “What’s that? A Chinese restaurant?" But she loved playing "Alexis".
"I adored her. If you gave me the scripts of Dynasty and said, 'What do you wanna play here? Do you wanna play Fallon? Or you wanna play Krystle? Do you wanna play Alexis?' I'd say, 'No question. I want to play Alexis'," she gushes.
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'Dynasty' Fans Won't Believe How Joan Collins Looked Back In The Day
Joan Collins' "Alexis" was loved by fans for her wit, her fashion sense and her fights with "Krystle Carrington", played by Linda Evans. Joan, however, didn't enjoy filming the aggressive fight scenes.
"First of all, I hated doing the fights. I thought they were stupid. I told [the showrunners], 'Alexis uses tongue, not her fists, to get the better of people'," she says. "Because Alexis was very witty in many ways".
