Alexis Colby

Alexis Colby

Alexis Morell Carrington Colby Dexter Rowan is a fictional character and the primary antagonist on the American TV series Dynasty.

The role was originated by Joan Collins in the first episode of the show's second season in 1981 (the character appeared briefly in the first season finale, non-speaking and face unseen). Collins remained on the show until the finale in 1989, and then returned as Alexis for the 1991 miniseries Dynasty: The Reunion.

Alexis' schemes to destroy ex-husband Blake, undermine his marriage to angelic Krystle, and control her children drive much of the action over the series' run. Passionate yet vengeful, Alexis loves her children fiercely and will do anything to protect them, but she often ignores their own needs and desires in place of what she thinks is best. Alexis rises and falls again and again, continually stirring up trouble for all around her.

During the series Alexis is married three additional times, to Cecil Colby, Dex Dexter, and Sean Rowan. Alexis is widowed twice, first by Cecil and then by fourth husband Sean, prompting Alexis' cousin Sable to remark that with Alexis "death is always a simpler solution than divorce." Her third marriage (to Dex) ends in divorce after Alexis catches him in bed with her adult daughter Amanda. The name Alexis uses the most consistently over the course of the series is Alexis Colby, though her marriage to Cecil Colby is her shortest. Alexis is romantically linked to a number of men over the years, including oilman Rashid Ahmed, tennis pro (and Krystle's first husband) Mark Jennings, King Galen of Moldavia, shipping tycoon Zach Powers, Congressman Neal McVane, Blake's brother Ben Carrington, Dirk and Gavin Maurier, Cecil's brother Jason Colby, and even a near-reconciliation with an amnesiac Blake.