Countess Joan Collins, 87, talks about her 70-year ‘difficult’ career in the film industry and how she wasn’t really taken as an actress’ when I started losing my appearance ‘
Countess Joan Collins has talked about how she has been at a ‘difficult time in my life’ as she contemplates her 70-year career in the film industry.
The Dynasty statue, 87, told Jonathan Ross she went ‘through the jungle by herself’ in an interview of his ITV talk show, which aired on Saturday.
Joan, who looked stunning in an elegant white suit, said she was not really taken as an actress ‘when I started to lose my appearance’.
Screenshot: Countess Joan Collins talks about how she’s had a ‘hard time all my life’ as she thought about her 70-year career in the film industry
Joan said: ‘I’ve never had a man, I’ve never had a big producer, or big man – before Percy [Gibson] that is – I have never had anyone who supported me.
‘I’ve had a very difficult time in my life. As an actor, when you are very young and beautiful, you will not really be an actor.
‘Vivien Leigh told me this. She said, “People didn’t start thinking I could act when I started losing my appearance.”
Reflection: The Dynasty statue, 87, told Jonathan Ross that she went ‘through the jungle by herself’ in an interview of his ITV talk show, which aired on Saturday
Always brilliant: Joan, who looked stunning in an elegant white suit, said she was only taken seriously as an actress ‘when I started to lose my appearance’
Strength: Joan said: ‘I have had a very difficult time in my life. As an actor, when you are very young and beautiful, you will not be taken as an actor ‘
Harsh: Vivien Leigh told me this. She said, “People didn’t start thinking I could act when I started losing my appearance.”
She said her father, who was an agent, told her not to be an actress because she would be ‘ready’ by the mid-20s.
‘Well father, I proved you wrong,’ said Lady Joan.
Joan took her first stage at the age of nine, trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, entered British films in 1951 and went to Hollywood under contract to 20th Century Fox in 1955. .
In 1981, she starred as Alexis Colby in the soap opera Dynasty, which made her an international superstar and awarded her a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a 1982 Television Series
Wow: Joan made her stage debut at the age of nine, entered British films in 1951 and went to Hollywood under contract to 20th Century Fox in 1955.
Next month marks 70 years since she started acting, and the screen horn said reaching the milestone as ‘incredible’, as she said: ‘I was 17 and made the horror film this, Lady Godiva Rides Again.
‘By 20 I was contracted by 20th Century Fox.
‘I went on a big, big jet to go to America alone at 20.’
She also paid tribute to the late Dame actress Barbara Windsor, who died last week at the age of 83.
Lady Joan said she met the EastEnders star ‘many, many times’.
She said: ‘She was always fun, with the sack laughing.
‘We did something for the Queen. We did a lot of things together. ‘
Jonathan Ross Show airs Saturday at 9.25pm on ITV.
Amazing performance: Next month marks 70 years since she began acting, and the screen horn said reaching the milestone as ‘incredible’