Collins embarked upon a storied career in the realm of motion pictures, commencing as a stripper in the exploitation film, Secrets of a Windmill Girl, which premiered in 1966. Concurrently, she ventured into television, assuming the role of a maid in the esteemed British drama series, Upstairs, Downstairs, which debuted in 1971.
Fast-forwarding to 1988, Collins took to the stage, starring in the one-woman play 'Shirley Valentine' in London, and subsequently, she brought the role to the illustrious Broadway, garnering a Tony Award in the process. Her captivating performance in the film adaptation, Shirley Valentine, released in 1989, earned her a BAFTA Film Award and garnered an Academy Award nomination. Following this, Collins continued to accumulate an impressive array of stage, film, and television performances.
