Dominique Deveraux

With Dynasty in its fourth season, Diahann Carroll saw the success of prime time soap operas, and noted that while they had covered many issues like rape and homosexuality, they had yet to tackle racial integration.[1][2] She said at the time, "I want to be the first black bitch on television."[1][3][4] Carroll had her manager reach out to Dynasty producer Aaron Spelling, but there had been no response before she and Spelling ran into each other soon after.[1][2] Barbra Streisand had asked Carroll to sing a song from Yentl at the Golden Globes ceremony, and afterwards Carroll and Spelling found themselves at the same nightclub.[1][2] He said, "When Diahann came in, [Dynasty co-creator] Esther Shapiro and I looked at her, looked at each other and said, 'My God, she is Dynasty.'"[1][2] Carroll told Shapiro that night, "If it's not me let it be someone, because it's time."[1] Spelling said, "We virtually closed the deal that night while having a drink at the bar."[1] Dominique was introduced as a wealthy mystery woman who believed herself to be a Carrington, and in season five she is revealed to be Blake's half-sister.[5]

Joining Dynasty made Carroll the only black actress with a continuing role on a nighttime serial at that time,[1] and Dominique the first prominently-featured African-American character on a prime time soap opera.[6] Carroll said, "I certainly wasn't researching the number of blacks on TV, but how could you fail to see they're not there?"[1] Appearing in the final two episodes of the fourth season, Carroll's estimated salary was $35,000 an episode, and she was contracted for at least 17 of season five's 29 shows.[1] Shapiro said, "We wanted a part where a black could be on the same social and economic level as the other characters. The one thing we wouldn't do is put on a black woman as a victim."[1] She added, "Our intention is to play the characters in 1984 with an emphasis on character, not color."[1]

From the beginning, Dominique was intended as a foil for Alexis Colby, the villainess played by Joan Collins.[1] Shapiro said, "Dominique is not out to outbitch Alexis per se."[1] Collins said, "I think it is wonderful to have another fabulous 'over 40' in prime time. We have had a couple of bitch-to-bitch scenes which have been very good. And of course, no one knows better than I that in playing a bitch you don't have to be one."[1] Carroll commented, "Joan and I are close enough in age and experience to realize that this is great for all of us. In the final analysis we will be good for each other."[1] Willis Edwards, president of the Beverly Hills/Hollywood chapter of the NAACP, said of Carroll's casting, "This is a major thing as far as we're concerned. We've been fighting for something like this for years."[1] Linda Evans, who played Krystle Carrington, said at the time, "I don't think the impact of her coming on the show will affect only blacks. I think it will be great for all the people who see her."[1]

While pursuing a role on one of the nighttime soaps, Carroll said "I want to be wealthy and ruthless".[1] She said in 2011 that Dynasty producer Elaine Rich "liked the idea of [Dominique] being a bitch", and Carroll said to her, "I think the most important thing for us to remember is write for a white male, and you'll have it. We'll have the character. Don't try to write for what you think I am, write for a white man who wants to be wealthy and powerful. And that's the way we found Dominique Deveraux."[2]

In a 1984 interview, Carroll said "I've never played a role quite this unlikeable. And I like that. I like that very much because I think very often, particularly minorities, it's almost required of them that they are nice people, and I don't want to play a nice person."[3]

Carroll originated the role of singer/businesswoman Dominique Deveraux in the 1984 episode "New Lady in Town". She appeared in 71 episodes of Dynasty, and seven episodes of The Colbys. The character last appeared in the 1987 Dynasty season seven finale "Shadow Play".

To circumvent any chance the storyline would leak to the press, a number of scenes were filmed to introduce Dominique, including alternative lines revealing that she was the mother of Kirby Anders (Kathleen Beller) or the ex-wife of Alexis' former husband, Cecil Colby (Lloyd Bochner). Carroll was repeatedly featured rehearsing and/or performing songs in several episodes of both series.

Successful and wealthy chanteuse Dominique Deveraux arrives in Denver in "New Lady in Town" (1984) with a flourish, asking Fallon Carrington Colby (Pamela Sue Martin) questions about her mother, Alexis Colby (Joan Collins). In the next episode, the fourth season finale, Dominique wonders, "Won't it just knock their socks off when they find out I'm a Carrington?"

Dominique's husband Brady Lloyd (Billy Dee Williams) arrives in Denver in the September 26, 1984 season premiere episode, "Disappearance." He asks why Dominique is performing at La Mirage. Brady and Dominique fight when she will not tell him why she is choosing to remain in Denver. Dominique's hostility toward oil tycoon Blake Carrington (John Forsythe) is noticed by Blake's wife Krystle (Linda Evans).

Following Fallon's memorial service in "The Rescue", Dominique makes the shocking claim that she is the daughter of Blake's father Tom Carrington and his longtime mistress, Laura Matthews, and offers proof (found in a letter in an old trunk left in the care of Laura's sister Bessie), therefore making her Blake's half-sister. A financially strapped Blake makes a business deal with the very wealthy Dominique: Forty percent of Denver-Carrington in exchange for $70 million. This subsequently makes Dominique an enemy of Alexis, who has been scheming to destroy her ex-husband Blake. When Brady learns the truth, he is furious that Dominique didn't confide in him earlier.

As Blake's business partner, Dominique travels to Istanbul to meet with the shady Rashid Ahmed in order to help Blake obtain a confession from him. Despite this assistance, in episode 100, Blake tells Dominique that Tom denies that he is her father. Furious, Dominique instigates a lawsuit against Blake for misappropriation of company funds after Blake uses some of the money she invested in Denver-Carrington to prevent losing his mansion. However, episode 102, "The Will", Dominique and Blake visit their father Tom on his deathbed in Sumatra; Alexis, a favorite of Tom's, follows them. Tom meets his illegitimate daughter Dominique for the first time, and she convinces him to accept her. Tom dies, but not before including Dominique in his will, as well as making her the executor, which further infuriates Alexis (who is also a beneficiary). In episode 103, "The Treasure", Blake and Dominique discuss the matter between them and Blake finally acknowledges her as his half-sister. Dominique, in a show of gratitude, tells Blake that she has dropped her lawsuit against him. Later on, Blake summons Alexis to his office and tells her that if she persists in trying to break Tom's will, he will put his support firmly behind Dominique. Furthermore, he reiterates the fact that she is now family and that he will fight to the death for her. Alexis concedes to Blake's demands, but tells him she'll find a way to destroy Dominique regardless. Later that evening at the Carrington mansion, Blake holds a dinner gathering to formally welcome Dominique into the family. Adam goes out of his way to welcome her as well and Dominique is overcome with emotion. Later on, Amanda tells her mother Alexis about the gathering and that she is proud to have Dominique as her new aunt, much to Alexis' annoyance. Alexis then places a call to one of her associates and orders him to find out everything he can about Dominique.

In episode 108, Dominique learns that Brady has filed for divorce and that Alexis is attempting to take over her company, Deveraux Group, Inc., after which she collapses. At the hospital Dominique learns that she needs heart surgery. She pulls through her illness and becomes closer to Blake and Krystle. Although the divorce goes through, Brady refuses to sell his shares in Deveraux Group, Inc. to Alexis, foiling the takeover. Noticing that famed photojournalist Lady Ashley Mitchell appears to have designs on Blake, she warns Ashley to keep away and advises Krystle to watch out.

Dominique is among the family guests invited to Moldavia to celebrate the wedding of her niece, Amanda, to Prince Michael, where a military coup takes place and insurgents take over the chapel and gun down the entire wedding party.

Dominique survives the wedding massacre, and rejects an offer by the rebel leader to remain in Moldavia to "entertain the troops and improve morale". Back in Denver, Dominique works with Blake on a pipeline deal with Jason Colby (Charlton Heston). She encounters Jonathan Lake (Calvin Lockhart), a state department employee, who reminds Dominique that they met years ago in Paris. Romance seems to be blossoming between the pair, but then a man from her past returns: Garrett Boydston (Ken Howard), Jason Colby's lawyer. Garrett tries to rekindle their romance, but Dominique is resistant. Years earlier, Dominique and Garrett had an affair. At the time, Garrett claimed that he was married and refused to leave his wife. Dominique is torn between the two men until she learns that Jonathan has aligned himself with Bart Fallmont, a politician who is fighting the pipeline project.

Dominique travels frequently to Los Angeles, and hires Monica Colby (Tracy Scoggins) to help run her L.A.-based record company. While there, she continues to see Garrett. He cannot understand her reluctance to resume their relationship.

In episode 134, Dominique's daughter, Jackie (Troy Beyer) visits her mother and asks to remain in Denver instead of returning to finishing school in Lausanne, Switzerland. In episode 136, Garrett meets Jackie and is immediately convinced that he is her father. Garrett presses Dominique but she continues to deny that he is Jackie's father. Jackie, who would like to see her mother married and happy, also wonders about the true nature of their relationship. In episode 143, Jackie runs away when she learns that her father is listed as "unknown" on her birth certificate. Alexis encounters Jackie and manipulates the girl into telling her troubles. Dominique finally admits to Garrett that he is indeed Jackie's father. Jackie returns home in episode 145 and finally learns that Garrett is her father.

In episode 146, Dominique and Garrett decide to marry. In the season finale, at their engagement party Alexis reveals that Garrett was never married before. He lied in order to avoid a long-term relationship. Dominique slaps Alexis and orders her to leave. She confronts Garrett with the story who admits that he lied so many years ago. Stunned, Dominique breaks off the engagement. Her guests continue to celebrate, unaware that the wedding is cancelled — or that a fire is raging in other parts of the hotel.

During the fire, Dominique panics when she cannot find Jackie. Dex Dexter manages to rescue Jackie, but she is badly burned. Jackie provides eye witness testimony to the cause of the fire, before leaving Denver for state-of-the-art burn treatment.

During this time, Dominique helps Blake to fight Alexis, who has taken over Blake's company with the assistance of their estranged brother, Ben. She also attempts to revive her singing career. When a bad review appears in Alexis's newspaper, Dominique goes to confront her in episode 160 and a cat fight ensues.

In episode 154, Dominique meets geologist Nick Kimball, who romantically pursues her. Dominique resists him at first, but by episode 158 she gives in to his advances and they share a passionate night together. In episode 163, Nick saves Dominique from two thugs who were sent by businessman Gary Tilden to "rough her up" after she rejected a business deal from Tilden. But Dominique is still restrained about their relationship – and draws closer to Alexis's ex-husband Dex. Nick returns in episode 173 to whisk Dominique off for a romantic weekend in San Francisco, where he proposes. While Dominique contemplates marrying Nick, Jackie returns to Denver to tell her mother that Garrett is still in love with her. In episode 175, Jackie asks Nick to break it off with Dominique. When Dominique states that she will not get back together with Garrett, a defeated Jackie leaves Denver again. In episode 176, the season finale, Dominique and Nick attend the wedding of her nephew, Adam. After the ceremony, Dominique accepts his proposal and the two leave Denver.

Though not physically seen after season seven, Dominique (having revived her singing career touring Europe) is mentioned in season nine as Blake investigates the murder of Roger Grimes. Blake visits Dominique's uncle Charles Matthews, brother to her mother Laura and Aunt Bessie. Charles and his wife Jane later provide Blake with some of his father's belongings, left with them by Laura and then Bessie for safekeeping.

A Dynasty reboot premiered on The CW on October 11, 2017.[7] A May 2018 press release teased that the show would introduce Blake's half-sister Dominique Deveraux, Jeff and Monica Colby's mother, in season two.[8] Executive producer Sallie Patrick said of introducing Dominique:

I look forward to doing that later this season, I hope. She's fantastic. She's a great character and she's a great foe for Alexis, but it's also interesting to me to bring in Monica and Jeff's mother. We've seen the Carringtons and while they're completely screwed up, they do have each other, more or less, and to see what's been missing from the Colbys and who that woman is, and how her arrival changes their characters will be really interesting.[9]

On March 22, 2019, it was announced that Michael Michele had been cast to play Dominique for later in the second season of Dynasty.[10][11] On October 11, 2019, it was confirmed that Michele had been promoted to series regular for the third season. This came after the fact that the actress had previously revealed her promotion via an Instagram comment back in July.[12] Ahead of the third season's premiere, executive producer Josh Reims stated that Dominique would replace Alexis Carrington (previously played by Nicollette Sheridan, who had not yet been recast) as the show's new primary troublemaker, playing both sides in the Colby and Carringtons’ war. Reims also confirmed that Dominique's secret family "[would] show up at some point."[13]

In the 2018 season one episode "Trashy Little Tramp", Jeff and Monica's grandmother confesses that their mother, Millie, was fathered by Thomas Carrington, making her Blake's sister.[14][15]

Jeff leaves a message for his mother in the season two episode "A Champagne Mood",[16] and invites her to Atlanta for a reunion in "The Sight of You".[17] Monica, still furious over their mother's abandonment, calls Dominique and threatens a confrontation if she gets on the plane Jeff sent. Jeff is dejected when their mother does not come, or even call.[17]

In "New Lady in Town", Dominique reappears as Jeff recovers at home. She and Monica clash over Dominique's abandonment, and though Dominique is apologetic, she asserts that Jeff and Monica were better off being raised by their grandmother. Dominique confesses that she has been lying about having a successful career, and Jeff writes his mother a check for $1 million as a trap to see if she only came back for money. Jeff and Monica catch Dominique trying to leave, but she has thrown the check in the trash. Dominique takes a secret phone call, revealing that she has been manipulating Jeff and Monica, and that she has other children in New York.[18] In "Thicker Than Money", Dominique visits Blake, who has been paying her for years to keep secret the fact that she is his half-sister. The payments have recently stopped, and Dominique wants what she is owed. Blake says she can have her money when she gets Jeff off his back. Jeff figures out that Adam poisoned him, and enlists Dominique to help destroy Blake and Adam.[19] In "Deception, Jealousy, and Lies" Jeff and Dominique stage a crime scene with Jeff's blood and Adam Carrington's cufflink to make it look like Adam murdered Jeff, who leaves the country. Dominique, however, removes the cufflink and calls Blake to confirm that his payments to her will resume now that Jeff is out of the way.[20]

In "Guilt Trip to Alaska", Dominique uses the press surrounding Jeff's disappearance and the Carrington Foundation Fundraiser as her reintroduction to Atlanta society. Dominique makes an enemy out of Blake's fiancée Cristal, sending a journalist to investigate the Flores family as part of her plan to take control of the Carringtons' dynasty. "Caution Never Won a War" sees a power struggle between Dominique and Cristal, following Blake's arrest for murder, and Dominique's desire for fame and attention is put on hold when Cristal blackmails her into cancelling an interview, threatening to cut off Blake's monthly payments. In "Wild Ghost Chase", Monica grows impatient with the pacing of Jeff's investigation and both she and a recently returned Jeff discover Dominique sabotaged their plan for Blake. Feeling betrayed, Jeff kicks Dominique out of his home. Dominique works to earn Jeff and Monica's forgiveness in "Something Desperate", agreeing to help sabotage Blake's winery, his last remaining business since being imprisoned. Though she initially spoils the wine, she later takes credit for a gas explosion that blinds Adam. In "Mother? I'm at La Mirage", Dominique's stepdaughter Vanessa arrives in Atlanta to the former's dismay, not ready to include Vanessa in her master plan. Dominique uses the grand re-opening of the hotel La Mirage as a time to bond with Jeff as well as get Vanessa recognition as a performer. Dominique and Vanessa drug the artist Ashanti, who was scheduled to perform, and Vanessa sings in her place. Jeff also confesses his terminal illness to Dominique. In "A Used Up Memory", Dominique works on getting Vanessa signed to Fallon and Monica's record label while Vanessa develops a relationship with Michael Culhane. However, Vanessa accidentally lets it slip that Dominique is also her stepmother. Michael confronts Dominique in "Shoot from the Hip", demanding she tell Jeff and Monica the truth about Vanessa, but Dominique blackmails Michael into silence after making a deal with Blake to stop the monthly payments in exchange for information. However, Vanessa goes against Dominique's wishes and tells Monica the truth at Thanksgiving dinner. In "The Sensational Blake Carrington Trial", Dominique works to make amends with her children yet again, but while Jeff has made his peace with Dominique's continuous antics, Monica decides to take an indefinite trip to New York. She invites Vanessa to go with her, who accepts the offer, leaving their mother alone. Dominique is stunned to see Alexis Carrington return to testify at Blake's trial, now married to Jeff.

Dominique warns Jeff against Alexis in "The Caviar, I Trust, Is Not Burned", but Jeff swears allegiance to his new wife. Dominique revels in Alexis' failure to get Blake convicted of murder and exaggerates a fall and neck injury when Alexis pushes her. She later announces she's going back to New York for the time being. Dominique returns to Atlanta in "Battle Lines", wanting to stay with Jeff, who turns her away. She runs into Michael at a bar where she gets him drunk and the two have sex. However, Michael later reveals that Vanessa is back in town and the two are back together, begging Dominique to keep their one night stand a secret. Dominique, meanwhile, assists Blake in breaking into Jeff's office in order to get information on the re-sale of Carrington Atlantic, demanding something big in return. Once Blake gets what he wants, Dominique moves into Carrington manor. In "You See Most Things in Terms of Black & White", Blake and Cristal are dismayed with having to live with Dominique for the next year, who later pitches a reality show - House of Deveraux - about herself and Vanessa set in the manor. The producer is more interested in the immediate Carringtons, so Dominique works to put together a sizzle reel with Cristal, leading to her discovery of Cristal potentially having an affair. Dominique confronts Cristal in "That Wicked Stepmother", agreeing to keep quiet in exchange for Vanessa also getting to live in the manor. Dominique closes the deal on the reality show by leaking a recording of her and Michael having sex, resulting in a dramatic confrontation between her and Vanessa at Fallon and Liam's engagement party. In "Up a Tree", Dominique works with Vanessa to get Michael to join House of Deveraux. He agrees to shoot a few scenes as a peace offering to Vanessa, but once officially getting him on board, the two women celebrate Vanessa manipulating him. The manipulation continues in "She Cancelled..." when Dominique insists on a huge birthday celebration for Michael at La Mirage. Anders later obtains video evidence of Dominique and Vanessa conspiring in private, which he shows to Michael. In "Robin Hood Rescues", Dominique, Vanessa, and Michael get together to discuss deals for a second season of House of Deveraux, but when Dominique receives a better offer elsewhere, she provides a long list of demands for the network. House of Deveraux is cancelled, and Dominique and Vanessa come to learn that Michael played them and that there was never a better offer. With the reality show cancelled, Vanessa fires Dominique as her manager, leaving her with nothing.