As Dynasty celebrates its 35th anniversary, one of its stars, Linda Evans, opens up to Closer Weekly in an exclusive interview revealing that she actually never intended on having an acting career and shares what she has been up to since semi-retiring from acting in the 90s.

“This career has been a shocker,” Linda tells Closer. “When I was discovered at 15, I was with a girlfriend who was up for a commercial, and the director wanted me to do it. My dad had passed away unexpectedly from cancer, so we were living on Social Security and there was no way for me to say no to the money.”

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Linda in 1981.

“I kept getting parts, and I thought, Until I get married, I’ll just do this,” she adds. “Then I’d get married and stop working. Then the marriage would fall apart and I’d go back to working!”

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Linda shares, “All I ever wanted to do was be a wife and a mom.”

“I was left at 38 saying, ‘This marriage thing isn’t working for me. I’m just marrying people and getting divorced like Elizabeth Taylor!’ So I said, ‘I guess I have to have a career!’ Thank God, Dynasty came along because it was the answer to my prayer.”

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Linda in October 2011.

So why retire? “I never wanted an acting career,” Linda explains. “My passion in life is speaking to women’s groups about things I’ve learned. The beauty of becoming 73 is you have a lot of wisdom. Sharing that is just the sweetest thing in the world.”

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“I’ve had such an extraordinary life,” she says. “I’m so fulfilled in so many ways with my life, every part of it, I have no regrets.”

For the full interview with Linda, including her extreme battle with back pain, pick up the latest issue of Closer Weekly, on newsstands now!