Follow Your INSTINCTS

The Dallas alum shares lessons, memories and her thoughts on happiness

- Fortune Benatar

As a young girl, Linda Gray used to sit outside the gates at MGM Studios to watch the movie stars go by. “There was Carmen Miranda and Van Johnson in their convertibles driving into the studio lot,” Linda tells Closer. “They were so glamorous, and their cars were so beautiful. We would just sit there and ask for their autographs. Some of them were very nice, and they would stop and sign our little autograph books.”

Years later, Linda, 83, would become a star herself playing Sue Ellen Ewing on Dallas, which ran for 14 seasons during its original incarnation. Linda’s career would also extend into other TV, film and theater roles, but Sue Ellen, whom she returned to play in several reunions and a 2012 revival series, would always remain her most beloved creation.

What was your childhood like?

I had a really loving family, and things were obviously much different than they are now. Back then, you could drink water out of the hose and you could run around outside all day playing. It was a different world. We were loved, and we knew we were loved. I had a strong connection to my grandma.

What did you learn from your grandma?

Grandma told me — and I laugh now because it’s so relevant — she said, “If you want to do something, do what your heart tells you to do. Don’t listen to anybody else. If you want to go to Rome and everybody says, ‘Oh, that’s silly,’ go anyway.” She always taught us to follow our heart, follow our intuition, and not to worry about what other people say. She’s been gone many, many years, but I hear her to this day.

Which stars made you want to become an actress yourself?