Former “Dynasty” star Joan Collins is holding nothing back. In a recent interview with Piers Morgan, she unleashed on her late co-star John Forsythe.
The two starred together on “Dynasty” in the 1980s. Collins’ and Forsythe’s characters were certainly antagonistic during the series run. But apparently, a lot of that ill will was inspired by Collins’ and Forsythe’s real-life hatred for one another.
Collins recently called Forsythe, a “misogynistic p—k” in an interview. It doesn’t get more antagonistic than that. She also put it bluntly during “Piers Morgan’s Life Stories” on June 20th. She said, “I didn’t like him.”
Not one to mince words, Collins got into the nitty-gritty of why they didn’t get along. Collins joined “Dynasty” as Forsythe’s character’s ex-wife. She played the cunning and formidable Alexis Carrington. Alexis often acted opposite of her ex-husband Blake Carrington. Their schemes formed the bulk of the series’ drama, like two grandmasters playing chess.
But Collins didn’t join the show until the second season. And according to the actor, Forsythe was unwilling to share any of the fame. He wanted to remain the leading man on the series and reportedly tried to box Collins out.
“He also had it in his contract that he always had to have $5,000 an episode more than anybody else in the cast,” she continued, “and that in any publicity that went out about the show, he always had to be front and center.”
Joan Collins Speaks Out Against ‘Dynasty’ Production
Collins didn’t just call out John Forsythe but also the “Dynasty” production as well. She believed that her gender played a role in politics behind the scenes. Most of all, she believed that production refused to pay her the same as Forsythe because she was a woman.
At the time, she made around $15,000 an episode when she first starred on “Dynasty” in the 1980s. Meanwhile, Forsythe earned around “25 or $30,000” according to Collins. Collins said she complained to production, eventually working her salary up.
“They were so misogynistic they allowed this to happen,” Collin said. Towards the end of the series, she said she made around $120,000 an episode. But she said her “Dynasty” pay increase also “came with a caveat that they’d only put me in half the episodes as [they] couldn’t afford to pay me.”
Collins shared some wisdom she claimed she got from Marilyn Monroe when she first moved to Hollywood. Monroe reportedly told her to beware the “wolves” in Hollywood trying to get what they want. She told Collins they would ruin her if she didn’t deliver what they wanted.
Collins also says she recently watched old episodes of “Dynasty” during the pandemic. She thought she acted well during the series and should have got more money.
“I was impressed by myself,” she said. “Quite frankly, I think I should have got more [money].”
