According to sources, Joan Collins considers Donald Trump to be one of her ‘closest lifelong friends’ and has always been vocal about her admiration for the politician.

Recently, the 91-year-old Dynasty star attracted attention when she was labeled as a supporter of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement while attending a ‘pre-inauguration celebration’ alongside conservative acquaintances.

The iconic actress was seen having a ‘lovely dinner with friends’ in a picture shared by conservative actor James Woods to his X account. 

Seeing the star alongside Woods and other outspoken MAGA fanatics led many fans to share their surprise that Collins is associated with the group.

Despite the raised eyebrows, an exclusive source clarified that Joan’s support for Trump is unsurprising, given their close friendship, with the source emphasizing that the president-elect is indeed one of her closest companions.

‘To Joan, Donald is not just a former president and soon-to-be MAGA president, but he is also one of her closest lifelong friends,’ the insider began. ‘She has run in his circle for 40 years and they have so much love for one another.’

Joan Collins has ‘never been shy about her love’ for the Republican politician Donald Trump, sources tell DailyMail.com

Collins raised eyebrows this week as she was pictured at a dinner with MAGA loving celebrities including James Woods and John Voight 

The source noted that Collins has openly praised Trump for helping to inspire her beloved Dynasty character, Alexis Carrington Colby.  

‘It is no secret that Joan modeled her infamous Alexis character on Dynasty after Donald,’ the insider continued. ‘She has discussed her inspiration countless times over the years and said it was half Donald Trump and half another friend of hers.

‘She took Donald’s ‘ruthlessness’ for Alexis. Joan has never been shy about her love for Donald.’

The source also highlighted Collins’ close relationship to both Trump and his late ex-wife, Ivanna.

The insider added: ‘But it was not only Donald that is a huge part of her life but Donald’s ex-wife Ivanna, Ivanka’s mom. Joan and Ivanna were so beyond close and remained friends until Ivanna’s death. 

‘Joan was heartbroken when Ivanna passed because she was one of the only people who truly got her. She never let Donald and Ivanna’s divorce change her love and respect for each of them.’

Opening up about the British icon’s decision to support her friend amid his political campaigns, the insider continued: ‘Joan has always been quiet about her political affiliations because she does not believe this needs to be broadcast.’

DailyMail.com has contacted reps for Collins for comment. 

The source noted Trump is ‘one of her closest friends who has supported her throughout her life’

Collins previously shared how Trump (pictured together in 1989) was an ‘inspiration’ for her iconic character Alexis Carrington from hit show Dynasty 

The source also highlighted how Collins has been close to both Trump and his late ex-wife, Ivanna

Collins’ fifth husband Percy Gibson, 60, was also at the gathering which had started out as a ‘post-Christmas dinner.’

Woods explained in the picture caption: ‘It evolved from a post-Christmas dinner to a pre-Inauguration celebration. Not often in Hollywood you can be surrounded by patriots. What a joyous night.’ 

Also in attendance was actor Jon Voight, who is Angelina Jolie’s father. 

The star has made no secret of his love for Trump and was recently seen enjoying the election result at the president-elect’s Mar-a-Lago estate. 

In 2017, while appearing on the Jonathan Ross show, Collins opened up about Trump being the inspiration for her character Alexis. 

‘I actually wrote about it years and years ago, that one of the people mentioned was Donald Trump,’ she stated at the time. 

Collins said she was drawn to Trump ‘because he was a very harsh, tough, clever, devious and manipulative.’ 

The acting icon added that she had seen Trump several years before when she was buying an apartment in New York, and said the businessman was ‘very interested’ in her moving into Trump Tower. 

The source added: ‘She took Donald’s ‘ruthlessness’ for Alexis. Joan has never been shy about her love for Donald’ 

‘Thank god we didn’t!’ she added. ‘You know what it’s like now, you have to go through security.’ 

She opened up once again about the inspiration Trump provided for her character during a ‘flirty’ interview with Louis Theroux in November.

‘I said when I was asked about my character Alexis, who did I think of when preparing, I said ‘well a mixture of Donald Trump’, who was not president then, he was just a businessman’, and a friend of mine who was a very glamorous woman about town who was very clever, so I wanted to have a mixture of them,’ she recalled.

Louis then asked what specific qualities of Trump she incorporated into the character, with the actress pinpointing his ‘ruthlessness.’

But the Dame refused to be drawn into a discussion on politics saying: ‘I am trying not to get involved politically. I am an actress so I don’t think we should spout our political opinions.

Only to quip: ‘Well let’s say that if you played him in a movie people would say ‘no, that’s too over the top”.

British-born Collins has previously hailed the achievements of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.