最新報導的部落格

Linda Evans reminisces the golden era of Dynasty.

There are two things that stand out most about 1980s prime time soap Dynasty: the fashion (no show featured so much shoulder pads and sequins!) and the cat fights between the show’s two leading ladies, Krsytle Carrington (Linda Evans) and Alexis Colby-Carrington (Joan Collins) who were both, at different points in the show, married to wealthy and handsome Blake Carrington (played by the suave and debonair John Forsythe).

The rivalry between the two women provided much of the drama in the series – the cunning and more savvy Alexis resented Krystle for replacing her as the lady in the Carrington household and tried to undermine her any chance she got while Krystle (whose angelic looks and virtuous character was the perfect foil to Alexis) tried as hard as she could to keep Alexis at bay.

There were verbal battles and slaps across the face which sometimes led to physical fights. Anyone who watched the series will surely remember the iconic scene in season three where the two women (dressed to the nines, mind you) went at each other’s throats in the huge lily pond outside the 48-room Carrington mansion.

Yes, Dynasty was the soap of the 1980s. It was nominated six times at the Golden Globes for Best TV Drama and won in 1984 (the only night time soap to win this award).

For Evans (who won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in 1982), being cast as Krystle was definitely one of the most memorable moments in her life.

“The fact that I got Dynasty changed my life. I was 39 years old which was (considered) older in those days for women on television. The fact that they trusted me to have that part was probably one of the greatest things to happen to me in the 1980s,” says Evans in an interview with the Malaysian media.

When the series opened in 1981, Krystle was a guileless secretary, beautiful and naive, about to be swept off her feet by her boss, Blake a wealthy oil tycoon. The two married and Krystle moved into the Carrington mansion.

She was lost in love, eagerly anticipating her new life with her charming husband. What she wasn’t prepared for, however, was the hostile reception from Carrington’s children (from Blake’s marriage to Alexis), the household staff and, of course, Alexis.

“My character fell in love and her whole life changed. It was like marrying a prince or something. But the thing about (Krystle) is that she was never into money ... she truly loved Blake and her whole dream was her husband and her child, and throughout the show, you have all these people vying for wealth and fortune but Krystle’s character was very pure and her values were very pure. She was the average person in this extremely wealthy family,” recounts Evans.

The 71-year-old Evans is featured in the National Geographic Channel’s miniseries, The 80s: The Decade That Made Us, which began airing yesterday.

Dynasty’s success made Evans a household name in the 1980s. She was the bombshell of a generation: men fantasised about her and women wanted to be like her. In fact, many fans wanted to dress like her too; the show inspired the “Dynasty Collection” by designer Nolan Miller in Bloomingdale’s New York in 1984.

There are many similarities, between her and Krystle, admits Evans.

“Like Krystle, I only had a dream of getting married and having children. I never even wanted a film career. I was discovered when I was 15 ... my father had just passed away and I (almost didn’t) accept the commercial that started my career.

“I wasn’t prepared to be an actress (but) somehow my career just kept going. Every time I got married, which was twice, I retired and just wanted to stay at home,” she explains.

Evans was married to actor and film producer John Derek from 1968 to 1974 (until Derek left her for Bo Derek who was 30 years his junior) and later, property executive Stan Herman from 1976 to 1981.

After Dynasty, Evans decided she needed more than what Hollywood had to offer and began a spiritual journey.

“I read a book which basically explained the divinity in each of us and how everyone is the same ... equal, and how the joy and happiness we look for outside ourselves is really inside ourselves.

“I actually knew this to be true even before reading the book because from doing Dynasty, I had everything anyone could ever want: the money, the success, the fame ... I had it all except I knew there was something missing.

“I wanted something more and when I found this book, I found the happiness I’d been looking for,” she says.

Evans admits that the “drama” of being in Dynasty sometimes took a toll on her.

“It was challenging because it was nine years and a lot of intense drama. There were many times I’d get up in the morning and say, ‘Oh my gosh I have to go to work and scream and cry and carry on!’ And I just wanted to be happy. It is challenging to be dramatic!” she says.