Joan Collins is many things. Actress and author. Mother of three and sister. Wife. Icon. And, in an upcoming biopic: Wallis Simpson, the controversial spouse of former King Edward VIII. Speaking from the home in London that she shares with her husband, actor Percy Gibson, 58, Collins, 90, is giving full Alexis Carrington Colby, delivering witticisms in the vein of her character on Dynasty, ABC's nighttime soap that ran from 1981 to 1989. Case in point: When asked if she's a fan of Madonna-they both dated Warren Beatty-she deadpans in her crisp English accent, "I'm not a fan of anybody," and lets loose a quick, if haughty, laugh. It's hard to know if Collins is kidding, but that's part of the fun.

The actress has been working professionally since childhood but broke through as a juvenile delinquent in a 1952 British prison drama, I Believe in You. She was soon "sold"-her term-to 20th Century Fox in Hollywood, where she played mostly forgettable roles while remaining unforgettable for her beauty. (She was named the "prettiest girl in England" in 1958 but says studio execs told her early on that she was "fat and ugly.") Then along came Dynasty. "The first time I heard of the show, I said, 'What's that? A Chinese restaurant?' But I was a fan of Dallas, and I wanted to play a role like J.R. Ewing."

Having just released her memoir Behind the Shoulder Pads: Tales I Tell My Friends-which she's also adapted into a cabaret performance in England Collins looks back at her colorful past.

You were around legends like Marilyn Monroe in your early days in 1950s Hollywood. Who gave you the best advice?