Happy Birthday, Joan Collins!

Perhaps best known for her role as Alexis Carrington Colby on the 1980s soap opera Dynasty, 83-year-old Joan Collins shows no signs of slowing down in her octogenarian years.

Born on May 23, 1933 in London, England she ventured across the pond to LA to pursue her dreams of becoming a Hollywood star. Her first film role was the 1951 movie, Lady Godiva Rides Again, and the following decades would bring more roles in B-movies as well as many TV appearances.

She was also linked to a string of famous men including Dennis Hopper, Harry Belafonte, and Warren Beatty.

In 1981 she auditioned for and landed her definitive role as Alexis Carrington on the then struggling series, Dynasty. As the vengeful ex-wife of the show’s patriarch, Blake Carrington (portrayed by John Forsythe), Collins injected Dynasty with the catty, brash (and infectious) drama it needed to improve the ratings and she was credited with turning the show around. In 1983, she won a Golden Globe award for her efforts.

Collins continued to act after the show wrapped in 1983. She also wrote self-help beauty books and romance novels (although she failed to acquire the same level of success as her famous novelist sister, Jackie Collins).

In 1997, she became an Office of the Order of the British Empire for her contributions to the arts and charity.

With a career highlighted by her formidable beauty, style, and glamorous persona, it only made sense for the multifaceted star to venture into the cosmetics realm. In the spring of 2014, she launched her Timeless Beauty range including skincare, makeup, and fragrance (thus far, the line is only available in the UK).