Joan Collins
The legendary glamour puss on her fabulous career…
Dame Joan Collins began her acting career in 1951’s Lady Godiva Rides Again. “My God,” she laughs. “I’ve been around so many decades!” That’s why she’s racked up roles in huge movies, iconic television shows, written books and run several businesses. This month she returns to the stage with Joan Collins Unscripted, in which audience members can quiz her on her life… if they’re brave enough.
Your UK tour goes by the name
Unscripted – how much of the show is actually unscripted?
Well, it’s not entirely. We have got a lot of film. If somebody wants to talk about Gene Kelly – we have film of Gene Kelly – I will tell a story about Gene Kelly. It might be the same story I’ve told before, but I will be using a different vernacular, I will be doing a different way of telling it. So in that way it is unscripted. I relate much more with the audience. They ask questions and I answer – to the best of my ability! – and then work in the different clips. We’ve got lots of clips now of [Season 8 of] American Horror Story, which I just did.
How did the American Horror Story role come about?
They asked me if I wanted to do it and you don’t turn down Ryan Murphy. It’s like Aaron Spelling 30 years ago.
What was the show like to work on?
It was interesting. It was very full on. Very long hours, so I’m glad that I wasn’t in everything. Fourteen-hour days. But he’s so inventive. I loved playing Bubbles McGee, with the white wig! And I worked with one of the greatest actresses in the world, which is Kathy Bates, who’s become a really good friend. I was quite intimidated when I went to work for the first scenes we had together.
It’s hard to imagine Joan Collins ever being intimidated…
Well, of course! Kathy’s an Oscarwinner [in 1991, for Misery], she’s a superb actress. Us actors, we do get intimidated by some people! [laughs] Well, not that intimidated, but, you know, you have to up your game a bit when you work with Kathy Bates. As opposed to working with… some people on some soap operas that I’ve done. [clears her throat]
Do people ask you about the remake?
Dynasty
Nobody’s asking. I don’t think anybody knows about it.
It’s fair to say that you’ve also appeared in some fairly huge movies in your time…
I mean, I have been very, very lucky in that I worked with some of the most famous and iconic actors in the world. Every time I see the films I’m in, I look and I go, “Oh God, I worked with Gene Kelly. I worked with Richard Burton, Rod Steiger, Gregory Peck, Eli Wallach.” I was incredibly lucky. And at the time, being so young, it didn’t really sink in. And now I look back and think, “God, who today” – and I’m not blowing my own trumpet here – “who today is around who’s worked along with these extraordinary people?” I mean, John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson. And now Kathy Bates, Sarah Paulson. I mean, I’m very blessed.
Who was the best to work with?
Paul Newman. First of all, he was one of the nicest people in the world. One of the most generous. All the money from his sauces still goes to his charities. But also, he was huge fun. He got me cast [in 1958’s Rally ’Round The Flag, Boys!] – the studio wanted Jayne Mansfield. They said, “Brunettes can’t be funny, blondes are funny,” and Paul went to the studio and said, “We know Joan, she’s very funny.” He was a great friend. I saw him about two weeks – or was it two months? – before he died and I said, “How are you?” and he said, “Still got a pulse, kid.” He was just a wonderful man. DS
‘the studio wanted jayne mansfield, but paul newman got me cast’