Joan Collins: ‘Highs & lows of an über bitch!’
As JOAN COLLINS’ movie The Time Of Their Lives hits cinemas, she tells best about the highs and lows of being an…
‘My father said actors are “vulgar, common and coarse…”’
Not only is she still going strong at 83, women half her age would love to be as vibrant and glamorous as Dame Joan Collins.
The London-born actress found worldwide fame in 1981 playing the vengeful Alexis Colby in US soap Dynasty. Now the straight-talking star, who is mum to Tara, 53, Alexander, 51, and Katyana, 44, is lighting up the big screen in her latest film, The Time Of
Their Lives. Along with co-star Pauline Collins, 76, it sees her character Helen escape a nursing home to get to her ex-lover’s funeral in France with her best friend Priscilla.
Joan, who celebrates her 15th wedding anniversary next month with husband Percy Gibson, 51, chats to best about ageism and being reunited with Pauline...
What was it like working with Pauline?
Great. We worked together 37 years ago, and we just picked up where we left off.
Did you always want to be an actress?
Since the age of eight. But my father was horrified, and against the idea. He said most actors are ‘vulgar, common and coarse’. So here I am!
Have you experienced ageism in your career?
Oh, every actress over 35 does. I was cast in a TV role once at 39. My agent told them I was 32 because I looked it. I got the role, but at the end the producer said, ‘My GOD, you’re 39?! Had we known that, we’d never have cast you!’
You took a break to have children?
Yes. But after three or four years, I got bored of being Mummy dearest, so I started working again. I was in Star Trek and my daughter loved it. She told me to take the role, as people ‘go to the moon’ in it!
Is rejection hard to take?
In showbiz, you have to be tough to survive. Once I heard a producer say to the receptionist on the phone, ‘Joan who?’ So I got a car number plate made that said ‘Joan Who’. I was rejected, but I couldn’t take it seriously.
Then you got your lucky break on Dynasty…
That was the pinnacle of my career, playing über-bitch Alexis Colby. She was a very interesting character I loved playing. But I got sick of people asking me constantly, ‘Are you really like Alexis?’ It was like the same old record going round and round. My friend Henry Winkler told me it would take five years for people to forget her – but they never did!
The Time Of Their Lives is out now in cinemas