Joan Collins has opened up about her marriage producer Percy Gibson - and addressed their 32-year age gap.
The legendary Dynasty star tied the know with Gibson - her fifth husband - back in 2002.
But despite having to kiss a lot of frogs, Collins firmly believes she's finally found her true companion after a series of relationships that didn't quite hit the mark.
Speaking to Fox News Digital, 90-year-old Collins reminisced about the early days with Gibson, whom she met while working on a play.
"First of all, we were great pals before we got married," she explained. Their relationship blossomed from a solid friendship into something deeper. "We enjoyed each other’s company. We hung out together. And we saw each other the following year. We wrote love letters – it was a gradual thing. And we realized that we were very much on the same wavelength."
This journey of friendship turning into love is a central theme in Collins's new memoir, Behind the Shoulder Pads: Tales I Tell My Friends, where she shares her storied career in Hollywood and her personal life.
Despite their 32-year age gap, Collins dismisses it as merely "just a number". She firmly believes that love can be found at any stage in life, saying: "That’s how we both feel. And we were friends first, above anything else."
In her book, Collins reveals that Gibson's attitude toward their age difference was positive, noting his admiration for her zest for life. “Percy often admits that I can wear him out!” she shared.
Reflecting on her past relationships, Collins noted: "Many of the people that I’ve been with – and I’m not going to specify which ones – have been either neurotic, slightly unbalanced, or gotten into different things." In contrast, she describes Gibson, 58, as "a really nice, kind, grounded person."
Collins, known for her youthful and vivacious spirit, attributes part of their successful relationship to their shared enthusiasm for life. "I was born with a tremendous enthusiasm for life," she said.
"Life is a gift," she stressed. "That’s why they call it the present – it’s a gift. And so many people waste it. It’s so sad. It’s a gift, and it does not last for a long time."
The actress also reflected on her past relationship with actor Warren Beatty, saying: "We were both too young, too selfish, too ambitious," acknowledging that breakups are a part of life and relationships.
"Luckily, you get older, and I met the man who’s the right person for me for the rest of my life. We’ve been together ever since. And we’re very, very happily married," she said.
Collins and Gibson first met back in 2000 while she was working on the play, Love Letter - which Gibson was producing.
In her 2011 memoir The World According to Joan, Collins once again addressed how it took a long of breakups before she finally found Gibson. Encouraging others to wait patiently for love, she wrote: "For those women who are looking for a life partner, that old saying that men are like buses and 'if you wait long enough the right one will come along' is true for a reason."