Joan Collins

Dame Joan Henrietta Collins is an English actress, author, and columnist born on May 23, 1933. She is widely recognized for her extensive career in film, television, and theatre, most notably for her role as Alexis Colby in the television series Dynasty. Over her career, Collins has received numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award nomination, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2015, she was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of her charitable services.

Collins was born in Paddington, London, and raised in Maida Vale. She is the daughter of Elsa Collins, a dance teacher, and Joseph William Collins, a talent agent. She attended the Francis Holland School in London, made her stage debut at age nine in a production of A Doll's House, and later trained as an actress at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. At the age of 17, she signed a contract with the British studio The Rank Organisation.

Collins made her film debut with minor roles in Lady Godiva Rides Again (1951) and The Woman's Angle (1952), followed by a breakthrough performance in I Believe in You (1952). She appeared in several British films, including Cosh Boy and Our Girl Friday, before securing her first international production as Princess Nellifer in Land of the Pharaohs (1955). Later in 1955, she signed with 20th Century Fox, making her Hollywood debut in The Virgin Queen and starring in The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing. Throughout the late 1950s, she appeared in films such as The Opposite Sex, Sea Wife, Island in the Sun, The Wayward Bus, and The Bravados.

After starring in Esther and the King (1960), Collins was released from her 20th Century Fox contract. During the 1960s, she appeared in feature films including The Road to Hong Kong, Warning Shot, and Subterfuge, alongside guest roles on television series such as Star Trek and Batman. In the 1970s, Collins appeared in numerous television programs and starred in horror and thriller films including Tales from the Crypt, Fear in the Night, and Empire of the Ants, which earned her a Saturn Award nomination. Her starring roles in the feature films The Stud (1978) and its sequel The Bitch (1979) brought her significant commercial success.

From 1981 to 1989, Collins played Alexis Colby in Dynasty, achieving international stardom and winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama in 1982 (presented in 1983). In later decades, she maintained an active career on stage and television, securing recurring roles in series such as Happily Divorced, The Royals, Benidorm, and American Horror Story: Apocalypse. She also starred in the feature film The Time of Their Lives (2017) and the independent film Gerry (2018). In addition to her performance work, Collins is an author, columnist, and philanthropist recognized for her support of children's causes.