John James met Joan Collins back in 1981 when they both joined the cast of Dynasty. More than 30 years later, James, who considers the actress a friend, speaks admiringly of her years as an actress and her new status as a dame.

John James On Joan Collins

James attended the fete at the Friar’s Club last month that honored Collins and her new damehood. Reminiscing about the day he first encountered Collins on the Dynasty set, he recalled his anticipation when she started to approach him. Though he was hoping for some acting advice, what he got was a more valuable conversation that sealed their lasting friendship.

“I was all fired up and I was waiting there and she said something to me that I live by today, 34 years later. She leaned over to me and said, ‘How much money do you make?,’ James told uInterview in an exclusive interview. “That was my first conversation with Joan. And I said, ‘How much money do you make?’ And we’ve been friends ever since.”

On Dynasty, James played Jeff Colby, the nephew of Cecil Colby, played by Lloyd Bochner. Not playing a member of the more central Carrington family, James says, “I was just clawing for anything I could because I didn’t even have a father [on the show].” After walking in on Collins and Bochner filming the scene in which Cecil dies in bed, James thought it was the end of his time on the show. But, since Collins’ character was by then a Colby, James stayed and got more screen time with the future dame.

“If I had a scene with Joan I always knew I was in for something. I always knew it would be fun – a lot of energy and hang on to your hat because you didn’t know what she was going to do,” James said of working with Collins. “She was a perfectionist. If she didn’t like it she would demand a second take, which was great…. She really was interested in her character and cared about that, so I knew going in doing a scene with Joan it was going to be a good one.”

Joan Collins Talks Meeting Princess Diana

In recent years, Collins has spent less time acting and more time working with charities – including the Shooting Star Chase Children’s Hospice and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children – leading to Prince Charles presenting her with the appointment of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Asked whether Collins is more diva or dame, James said without hesitation she’s a dame.

“Oh, I think she’s more of a dame. You know, I mean you get typecast,” James told uInterview, before suggesting that people confuse her with her Dynasty character. “It’s like people believe the characters they played are actually themselves. No, she’s a good actress. She’s not at all like Alexis. She’s a caring mother, good businesswoman and she’s not anything like Alexis in real life.”

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