Sexual misconduct has been a deeply entrenched issue within Hollywood, drawing widespread attention through the #MeToo movement. In the wake of these developments, Joan Collins has lent her voice to the movement, as she detailed a priceless tip she received before joining Hollywood in her highly anticipated memoir, Behind the Shoulder Pads: Tales I Tell My Friends.
In a piece extracted from her memoir, Collins, whose televison credits range from the original Star Trek to the prime time soap opera Dynasty, vividly recalled the transformative moment she first encountered the legendary Marilyn Monroe in a bar. “She was extremely friendly, so we started chatting. After a couple of martinis, she warned me about the harassment in Hollywood and the ‘wolves in this town.’”
Joan Collins speaks on the priceless advice she got from the legendary Marilyn Monroe
Collins, who had previously worked in the British film scene, didn’t think much of the advice at first as she thought the pressure was the same everywhere. However, Monroe went on to strongly warn her and even mentioned the names of people she should watch out for.
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“That’s nothing compared to the studio power bosses, honey,’ Marilyn replied. ‘If they don’t get what they want, they’ll drop your contract,'” Collins noted. “‘It’s happened to lots of girls. Specially watch out for Zanuck. If he doesn’t get what he wants, he’ll fire you.’”
Joan Collins reveals her terrible ordeal with director Darryl Zanuck
Just as Marilyn had warned her, the now 90-year-old eventually found herself on the radar of Daryl Zanuck, a prominent movie executive. Collins shared her experience about how Zanuck molested and intimidated her. He even went as far as threatening to cancel her role if she failed to succumb to his sexual advances.
However, Joan was lucky as she eventually got the role she was vying for despite rejecting his amorous move. “Luckily, this producer was overruled by the director and the head of the studio,” Collins wrote. “So I got that role despite his threats.”