Dame Joan Collins claims she was branded a "diva" for asking for equal pay on ‘Dynasty’.
The 84-year-old actress is credited with revitalising the flagging soap when she joined the cast as Alexis Colby but she and her female co-stars were paid considerably less than John Forsyth, who played Blake Carrington, because of a clause in his contract.
She said: "John insisted on always having a certain amount of money more than me – quite a big percentage.
"Also, on any of the ‘Dynasty’ DVDs’ that went out or the ads, John’s picture had to be anybody else’s.
"When I went to [creator] Aaron Spelling and said, ‘I really deserve more money’, I was told, ‘We can’t. It’s in John’s contract that he gets paid more.
"[After asking for a raise], I was called a diva and a bitch and his attitude was ‘Who does she think she is?’ ‘Greedy’ was a word that was used."
And Joan claimed her request led to people working on the show leaking stories about her to portray her in a negative light.
She said: "People on the show were putting stories out to the press and the producers weren’t supportive to me at all – in fact, they liked the image of battleaxe bitch and vicious vixen."
It was only when the actress left the show and ratings slumped that her salary was renegotiated for her to return, but she claims that caused "resentment" among the rest of the cast.
She added: "Thankfully the fans took my side. The people who really matter."
The ‘Royals’ star is delighted by the rise of the Time’s Up movement because she’s been subjected to unwanted sexual advances many times in the past.
She told HELLO! magazine: "I had many experiences of exploitation so I’m glad it’s finally coming out in the press.
"Sadly, it’s been going on since the beginning of time and not just in Hollywood.
"There are millions of young people used as sex slaves around the world.
"Something has to change."
Joan Collins branded ‘diva’ for asking for pay rise
