Rock Hudson had ‘traumatic experience’ kissing Linda Evans on ‘Dynasty’

Film legend Rock Hudson shocked the world when he announced his AIDS diagnosis — himself included.

The Hollywood heartthrob had made a guest appearance on the hit soap opera “Dynasty” in 1984, just months after he first found out he’d tested positive for HIV, the virus which causes AIDS.

According to Stephen Kijak, director of the new documentary “Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed,” Hudson was “terrified” of kissing co-star Linda Evans, as he was scared he would give her a “lethal injection” of his illness.

The “Giant” star had concealed his disease from the public and even had used a medley of oral hygiene products like mouthwash in an attempt to protect Evans, 80.

“Nobody knew,” Kijak told Fox News recently. “Here was the moral quandary of, ‘Am I going to give Linda Evans AIDS?’ I just can’t imagine being in that space at the time when there was just no information available… Internally, Rock was losing it.”

Hudson ultimately died from AIDS-related complications in his sleep at the age of 59 in October 1985, becoming one of the first celebrities to unveil their struggle with the then-mysteryious disease.

Kijak added that Hudson’s kissing scene with Evans — who played Krystle Carrington on the drama — was “a really traumatic experience for him.”

“Rock is still in complete denial,” the filmmaker continued. “He’s thinking he can keep on working, that he can take a job on ‘Dynasty’.”

When it was time to smooch, the “Pillow Talk” star didn’t part his lips, leaving Evans and the crew apparently confused.

“Everyone was wondering, ‘Why isn’t he kissing her properly? What’s going on?’ It was just a very strange moment for everybody on set,” Kijak noted. “Rock later said it was the worst day of his life having to do that.”

The “Big Valley” bombshell didn’t figure out what was really going on until years later and was heartbroken to learn that Hudson was just trying to shield her from his illness.

KIjak went on: “She found it very moving to learn what was going on in his head, that he was so fearful, and yet all he was thinking about was how to keep her safe.”

Evans got candid in a “Lifetime Intimate Portrait” episode in 2000 about the kiss with Hudson, claiming that “people started staying away from me” after his diagnosis went public.

“People wouldn’t hug me anymore,” she admitted. “When we did the scene he was very timid with me.”

She added: “As a result of it, they reshot it because they said it wasn’t passionate enough. And later, when I found out that he had AIDS, I understood how much he tried to protect me.”

A new documentary titled “Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed” gives insight into Hudson’s career, his AIDS and his homosexuality and will be released on HBO June 28.

Kijak explored in the project the impact that Hudson’s disease had on Hollywood by using archival footage and interviews with some of the star’s old friends.