Actor

Audiences were charmed by her performance as Krystle Carrington, followed along her journey as Audra Barkley. This year, on November 18, the radiant Linda Evans turns 81, and she has made her mark not just for the colorful characters she's played but also for the important molds she broke along the way on behalf of her fellow castmates. A middle child of three daughters, Evans was born as Evenstad on November 18, 1942, in scenic Hartford, Connecticut. Just as her Krystle would find herself transported from everyday life as a secretary to the intricate nuances of high-profile living, Evans' own family started just a few generations ago in a very small farm all the way in Norway owned by her paternal great-grandmother. Her immediate family relocated from Connecticut to Hollywood, but the life of a star probably seemed incredibly unlikely for Evans at first, for she contended with chronic shyness and actually started taking drama classes "as a form of therapy" to contend with her introverted nature; she preferred playing with dolls than putting herself out there, well into her teen years. But years later, this shy girl would be the woman who defied the ongoing AIDS scare to give her Dynasty co-star a bit of normalcy amidst overwhelming fear. Linda Evans ruled 'Dynasty' Today at 81, Linda Evans can say she broke the mold time and again / Everett Collection Evans may have taken acting classes to alleviate her reserved demeanor, but the hand of fate really wanted to elevate her to something greater. She had been just tagging along with a friend who was heading to an audition when the producer noticed Evans and thought she would be someone worth working with. That was Evans's first big break, which flew in the face of her acting teacher who never let her into advanced classes because of her shyness. THE BIG VALLEY, Linda Evans, 1965-69 / Everett Collection RELATED: ‘Dynasty’ Cast Then And Now 2023 Several other casting teams would agree she was made for something greater, including those of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Wagon Train, The Big Valley, and, of course, Dynasty. That last one is something that surprises her even years later. "I was almost 40, and bless Aaron Spelling because he chose me at my age instead of someone younger," she said. "And also Joan Collins at her age. He took a chance on two so-called older women. It was an absolute dream come true." For her on-screen love interest, Hollywood Golden Age star Rock Hudson, who played Daniel Reece, things were far from idyllic; they were a nightmare. Hudson had AIDS in the midst of a crisis of misunderstandings and misinformation, where a public diagnosis - or public outing as gay - could derail a person's life. But most of the time, Hudson was worried about Evans; how would their big kiss affect her? Would she contract it - and even if she didn't, how would others who thought she got AIDS think of her? This difficult reality Hudson lived in broke Evans's heart. Linda Evans turns 81 with as much poise as ever She experienced withdrawal being away from Dynasty / ©Aaron Spelling Prod. / Courtesy: Everett Collection "When we had that scene we had to do with the kiss, it was a pivotal moment," Evans recalled. "We showed up that day and shot that scene, and it didn’t turn out like they wanted. Nobody quite knew what to do. I mean, I knew he could deliver that kiss. It’s not up to me to say anything. I let the director handle it, and we did it over and we did it over, and he did it consistently. It makes me cry because I know he was protecting me." At that point in her recollection, Evans grew tearful. "I didn’t know that at that time. I was confused at the time. But in thinking back, part of the reason I get so upset is that he was doing everything he could do to make it alright for me in case because nobody knew in those days about that. It hurts my heart even now when I think about it." To his close friend, Hudson said of the Dynasty kiss, "This is the worst day of my life. I used every possible type of mouthwash known to man. An awful day." Both actors faced hardship because of their infamous kiss / Everett Collection For all the internal fear that Hudson had and for all the misgivings the world had at the time, Evans was unafraid - although her connection to Hudson did make her a target. "There were, to my shock, people on the set who wouldn’t come into the makeup room when I was there," revealed Evans. "There were people who wouldn’t work with me and so they had to change scenes because I might have AIDS. I had personal friends who wouldn’t come over to dinner. I mean, people went into fear, tremendous fear." Not her. "I was never afraid I would have AIDS," she insisted, "no matter what they printed, no matter what science they told me. I thought, where was your humanity? Where’s your compassion? What’s wrong with this world right now?" Hudson's diagnosis became public knowledge months after the episode with their kiss and Evans became a target as much as Hudson. It got to the point where a spokesperson for Dynasty producers had to establish, "Everything attributed to her — that she’s asking for blood tests, that she’s suing Rock Hudson, that she is panicked — is not true." People wanted a hysterical Evans and she gave them only compassion and gratitude, all directed to Hudson, even as headlines wanted to soil her name too. Recipes for Life / Amazon How does one go from a defining television role to the limitless unknown of a future without Dynasty? With an appreciation for life and a drive to make it better. Eventually. When Evans left the show a year before its true ending, she immediately felt a massive absence in her heart. "After so many years in such closeness with everybody, it had become my family," she explained. "I just went into such a sadness that I hadn’t counted on." She likened it to withdrawal. However, her career continued on, primarily dominated by television, and finds purpose in continuing to support others. Her philanthropic efforts are directed towards the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association; she also donates to animal welfare. Evans also works with her local Meals on Wheels. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Linda Evans (@lindaevansofficial) Northwest Prime Time reports her living in Rainier, Washington, as of spring 2023. In her personal life, Evans remains active at 81 and while she appreciates the peace that routines bring, she also insists that "Change is invigorating," adding, "I try to change up my life by doing things I’ve never done before. The best investment you can make in your life is to take care of yourself…and be happy." Just last year, Evans considered the aging process and mused, "A lot of people wish they could be younger again. I would never go back because the life lessons that I’ve learned, the wisdoms that I’ve gained…There is something glorious about getting older as a woman, the freedom from so many of society’s agreements that age helps you let go of." Now, at 81, Evans has many stories to tell, and that's exactly what she's done in Recipes For Life: My Memories, her unique memoir that blends her love of cooking - she won Britain's competitive program Hell’s Kitchen in 2009 - with the intriguing tales of her Hollywood career. Here's to 81, Linda Evans, and to many more!