“Dynasty” Star Linda Evans Stuns At 81 — A Look At Her Beauty Today

Apr 13, 2022 by apost team

Linda Evans was once the talk of the town, starring in an endless stream of television series and appearing in plenty of films throughout her career. She found fame back in the 1960s, portraying the character of Audra Barkley in the Western TV series “The Big Valley,” which aired from 1965 to 1969. Afterward, she went on to land the role she is most remembered for – Krystle Carrington in the 1980s primetime soap opera “Dynasty.” Evans held the role from 1981 to 1989.

The actress was born on Nov. 18, 1942, in Hartford, Connecticut. Both of her parents were professional dancers, so it was only time until Evans found herself interested in the entertainment industry. It seemed that time came extremely fast as Evans and her family moved to North Hollywood when she was just 6-months-old. As she grew up, she came into contact with future stars and began taking drama classes. Soon enough, she was working on fully developing her skills and pursuing a professional career in acting.

Evans first began working in 1960 and continued to find more and more roles up until the late 1990s. While she is most known for her roles on television, she has also landed several film jobs along the way. However, aside from some appearances as herself, the actress didn’t work for the majority of the 2000s and 2010s. However, now at the age of 81, Evans is showing that she still has what it takes to shine bright in Hollywood and is back in action on the big screen.

Linda Evans, Joan Collins, John Forsythe. Pamela Sue Martin, Gordon Thomson (circa 1980s), (Bettman/Contributor/Getty Images)

Before Linda Evans became the famous actress she is today, she started out by taking acting classes. At first, it was a simple way to help the budding woman overcome her shyness. Later on, it was clear that acting had become something that meant a lot to Evans, and she had the skills and dedication to pursue it fully. She even changed her surname from Evenstad to Evans when she went on to start making it big in Hollywood.

However, not everyone believed in Evans. “My drama teacher and Hollywood High School never let me go to the advanced acting classes because he thought I was too shy,” she told INSP. Evans didn’t let this deter her too much, though, as she always went above and beyond to make her dreams come true. Speaking with INSP, she revealed an almost disastrous moment she had while prepping for an audition.

Evans said, “At 16, I was getting ready for an audition and our hair dryer broke. I was so desperate to do my hair that I poked my head in the oven wearing curlers, but they started melting! Needless to say, I never tried that again.”

Fortunately for the hopeful actress, a change was soon to come. She persisted, and Evans eventually became known for her roles in “The Big Valley” and “Dynasty,” the latter of which she has described as her dream role. When Evans found out that “Dynasty” had been renewed for another season, she said, “I was so overjoyed I burst into tears!”

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Linda Evans (1981), (Harry Langdon/Getty Images)

Looking at some of the shows and films that really helped launch Evans’ career, there were plenty of great times but also some times filled with frustration. While working in “The Big Valley,” Evans had some behind-the-scenes complications regarding her wardrobe. During an interview with INSP, she said:

“Barbara Stanwyck couldn’t stand the way John Derek dressed me in his handmade animal skins. She would invite me to dinner at her house, we’d drink champagne, and then she piled gorgeous designer clothes in her arms from her closet and made me take them home. She wanted the best for me, elegance and all. She was truly a second mother for me.”

During her run on the show “Dynasty,” Evans received plenty of awards and nominations for her role as Krystle Carrington. She won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Drama Series in 1981 and was nominated in the following years until 1985. She also won a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Female Performer in a New TV Program in 1982 and a Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in both 1984 and 1985.

Evans was also hired to be a spokesperson for Crystal Light because of the connection with her character’s name. She continues to be recognized today and even has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The actress is still appreciated for her work during this time, especially for all of the romantic and dramatic scenes she participated in.

Linda Evans, John Forsythe (1981), (Bettman/Contributor/Getty images)

The actress went on to reprise her role as Krystle in the TV miniseries “Dynasty: The Reunion” in 1991. In 2005, a fictionalized TV movie based on the creation and production of “Dynasty” was released and starred actress Melora Hardin as Evans. The following year, Evans reunited with many of her former castmates for “Dynasty: Catfights and Caviar.”

The original show has since received more praise and recognition as it was revived with a new cast. While the monumental series starred Evans alongside other actors such as Joan Collins and John Forsythe, the new television series by the same name started up in 2017 and now stars Elizabeth Gillies. The new series is still on today, with its fifth season airing back in December 2021.

The show was not only memorable in Evan’s professional career but also in her personal life. Speaking with Page Six, Evans said that she “would never have been able” to work on “Dynasty” had it not been for her failed marriage. At the time, she was married to film director John Derek but found out that he was in love with a woman 30 years younger than him named Bo Derek. Evans and Derek had been married for five years at the time and separated on Christmas Day in 1973.

She had previously been engaged to Patrick Curtis, a producer who is best known for his work alongside Raquel Welch, whom he later married. After Evans and Derek ended their relationship, Evans went on to marry a property executive named Stan Herman, and their marriage lasted from 1975 to 1979.

Linda Evans, Yanni (1991), (Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images)

The actress dated a few notable men in the following years, including actor Lee Majors and musician Yanni. She had previously worked with Majors in “The Big Valley,” and the two sparked a brief romance. Evans’ relationship with Yanni lasted until 1998. Speaking with Oprah Winfrey in 2014, Yanni explained how he still has a soft spot in his heart for Evans and called her one of the “most amazing human beings” he has ever known.

It’s evident that Evans encountered some hardships during the course of her love life, with the problems stemming from her first marriage. Speaking with Republic World in 2021, she opened up about her separation from the producer and how his next relationship impacted her and her career.

“John and I broke up nine years after we met – he fell in love with Bo,” Evans stated. “And then I called my agent and said, ‘I want to work again,’ and he said, ‘You’ve been away for so long. How are we going to pull this off? Everyone’s forgotten about you.’ I said. ‘I don’t know, but I just got to do it.’”

Evans worried that she would lose her career for good. She explained:

“It’s not supposed to go away like that. What is this? My dream is not supposed to end like this. It was horrible. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced. Sometimes when the worst thing happens to you in your life, it’s actually the best thing that ever happened to you in your life and that has been the truth my entire life.”

Linda Evans (circa 1982), (Bret Lundberg/IMAGES/Getty Images)

Despite having such a bad experience with her first husband, Evans was able to become friends with his new wife, Bo. According to Fox News, Evans even called Bo a “lovely woman” in 2021. She added, “I’m not friends with anyone unless I really like them. I liked her before this happened. It was awkward for a bit of time, of course, for the both of us. And then I got into my life….”

Even though it took some time, the actress found a way to move on and try to find happiness again. Evans continued, “You know, I don’t stop loving people because I’m not with them. I just love differently. I say now we are friends. I just talked to her not too long ago on her birthday.”

While the actress’ love life was a bit all over the place at times, her acting career was pretty stable for the majority of her career. However, acting is not the only passion Evans has. In fact, when she was younger, she was much more into learning about numbers than reading lines and diving into the world of words.

“When I was young I had a passion for numerology,” she explained. “I would ask everyone I met what their birthday was. It was fascinating to me that you could know so much about someone from their name and birthdate.” Evans explained that she never lost sight of this fun habit and it has since given her “greater insight and meaning” in her own life.

John Forsyth, Linda Evans, Joan Collins, Nolan Miller (1991), (Paul Harris/Getty Images)

In the 2000s, Evans reunited with her former “Dynasty” castmate Collins for a tour in connection with “Legends!” The comedic play was written by James Kirkwood Jr. and originally toured in 1986 but never officially made it to the Broadway stage. However, in later years, more celebrities joined the ensemble and brought new life to the production.

Speaking with The Hamilton Spectator, she said, “Sure we fought and scrapped as Krystle and Alexis on ‘Dynasty.’ That was part of the plot. But actually I admire Joan. She’s amazing, whatever age she says she is.”

However, Evans made it clear that she had more tricks up her sleeve than just her reputation from “Dynasty.” The actress said, “I’ve learned to be myself… Take a good look at me. I’m so much more than Krystle on ‘Dynasty.’”

The actress all opened up about how she stayed so humble and real despite the amount of fame that circulated her. “I could have the whole world loving me, prancing around on ‘Dynasty.’ But I can tell you, I was looking for love in all the wrong places,” she explained. “That’s what happens when you buy into the myth, The Great American Dream, which you know, is really a dream all about youth.”

In 2011, Evans released her memoir “Recipes for Life: My Memories.” The book detailed her life over the years in the entertainment industry, along with some memorable anecdotes and 40 recipes. Through photographs, recipes and personal stories, Evans gave her longtime fans a deeper insight into her life and helped shed some light on her warmth, talent and beauty to anyone who hadn’t been familiar with the star’s story.

Linda Evans (1981), (Harry Langdon/Getty Images)

At the age of 81, Evans is still a very notable actress and has even returned to acting in the more recent years. In 2020, she acted in a German series called “Das Traumschiff” – a series that features a cruise and dramatic storylines that usually have a very happy ending. In 2021, Evans starred in the film “Swan Song,” which featured stars such as Jennifer Coolidge, Udo Kier and Michael Urie.

According to People, Evans had left Hollywood a few years after “Dynasty” ended and went to live in a rural area in Washington state. She ultimately stopped looking for work but decided to pick back up several years later, in 2019. This is when she found the script for “Swan Song,” and flew out to Ohio to begin shooting her first film in decades.

Evans said, “I was nervous. Of course I was nervous. How could I not be nervous when I hadn’t done this for so long? The last time I worked I had my own hair and makeup team with me everywhere. Now it was just Linda going to Sandusky by herself and that was part of the excitement.”

The actress added, “I’m in love with this film. I had to do it. It was poignant the way (screenwriter and director Tood Stephens) captured what it’s like to be older and struggling with life. It really touched me.”

Although Evans doesn’t appear to have any projects in the works, it’s clear that she can be a star at any and every age. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for her!

Linda Evans (2011), (Beck Starr/FilmMagicGetty Images)

What do you think about Linda Evans’ career? Are you excited to see her back in the acting world? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your loved ones.