How Victoria Principal Embraces Aging with Style at 74

The most successful primetime soap in TV history, *Dallas*, will always hold a special place in my heart. Honestly, I could rewatch the entire series just to enjoy the captivating presence of Victoria Principal.

As Pamela Barnes Ewing, Victoria was one of the main reasons to tune in, right alongside Larry Hagman’s portrayal of the ruthless oil tycoon J.R. Ewing.

Now, at 74 years old, Victoria Principal continues to dazzle, and you might be pleasantly surprised when you see the latest photos of this ageless beauty.

Victoria Principal, at 74, has always embodied versatility. Throughout her illustrious career, she’s excelled as an actress, author, producer, and skincare entrepreneur.

Her adaptability might be rooted in her early years. Born on January 3, 1950, in Fukuoka, Japan, Victoria Ree Principal’s life began on foreign soil, as her father, a U.S. Air Force Sergeant, was stationed there.

As a child, Victoria experienced a nomadic lifestyle, frequently moving between U.S. Air Force bases. Her upbringing took her across various locations, including England, Puerto Rico, Massachusetts, and Florida, among others.

During her primary school years, Victoria Principal attended 17 different schools, including the prestigious Royal Ballet School in England.

The happiness of her childhood is a matter of debate. According to the *Daily Mail*, Victoria and her mother, Ree Principal, had a complex relationship, with Victoria describing her childhood as miserable in a 2009 report. In a 2012 interview with the *Huffington Post*, when asked what she wished she had known earlier in life, Victoria responded, “I wish I had known my childhood would end.”

Despite these challenges, Victoria has also shared a more positive perspective, saying, “I was very lucky. My parents raised me in such a way that it never occurred to me that I wasn’t equal.”

Victoria Principal began her career at a remarkably young age, landing her first job in a television commercial when she was just 5 years old.

In 1968, as she enrolled at Miami-Dade Community College, it seemed she might pursue a completely different path—medicine. Victoria had aspirations of becoming a doctor, and her future appeared to be set in that direction.

However, fate had other plans. Just months before completing her first year of college, Victoria was involved in a severe car accident on her way home from the library. The accident left her with serious injuries, requiring months of rest and rehabilitation. She missed critical time at college and faced the prospect of repeating her first year.

At this crossroads, Victoria decided to pivot dramatically. She moved to New York City to chase her dreams of acting. After working as an actress and model in New York and Europe, she relocated to Los Angeles in 1971, where she began to pursue significant film roles.

Her breakthrough came with a role in John Huston’s western film *The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean*, where she played the mistress of the main character, Roy Bean, portrayed by Paul Newman. This performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Newcomer and increased her visibility in Hollywood.

Despite her success, Victoria faced challenges in Hollywood. She remarked to *People* that while people initially seemed to genuinely like her, she soon realized she was often seen as just a “hot meal ticket.” After her success in *The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean*, finding satisfying roles proved difficult. Her next film, *The Naked Ape*, was a commercial failure, which took a toll on her confidence.

“I wanted to be successful simply because I didn’t want to get hurt. I began to get hard. I became very protective of myself,” Victoria Principal shared with *People*.

In 1974, she appeared in the blockbuster disaster film *Earthquake*, which was a massive hit. However, in 1975, while filming *Vigilante Force*, Victoria felt overwhelmed by the pressure to maintain a perfect image. “I realized I was so unhappy I didn’t want to live,” she admitted.

Choosing to step away from feature films, she pursued a career in law and worked as a talent agent between 1975 and 1977. This shift was a significant relief for Victoria, allowing her to be valued for her skills and intellect rather than her appearance.

It was during her time as an agent that Victoria first encountered the television series *Dallas*. Though she had received offers to return to acting, it wasn’t until she read the script for *Dallas* that she decided to revisit her acting ambitions. “I had left acting to be an agent and was on my way to law school, but when a friend dropped off a *Dallas* script, I read it. When I finished, I knew my life had changed – that part was mine. So I called the [casting] person and said, ‘I’m sending someone in.’ She said, ‘Who?’ I said, ‘Just put down my name. It will be a surprise.’ And it certainly was a surprise – I showed up with me! I sent myself in for it!” Victoria recounted.

Victoria secured the role of Pamela Barnes Ewing, which became one of the defining roles of her career. “When I went in for the part on *Dallas*, I had already fallen in love with the show and with the part, so my feeling from the moment I read it was that it was incredibly special and that I really, really wanted to be a part of it. I could not imagine not being Pam,” she said. It felt as if she was born for the role.

With her extensive industry knowledge, Victoria negotiated her own contract with CBS, ensuring that she retained control over her image and career. “As a result, you can only notice in hindsight, I was the only person in the cast who did commercials, who was doing movies of the week, who wrote books, and these all belong to me. I retained the control and ownership of my image. No one owns me,” she explained.

Premiering in 1978, *Dallas* became one of the greatest television dramas of all time, capturing global attention and influencing viewers worldwide. The series centered on the Ewing family, a wealthy Texan clan involved in oil and cattle ranching.

At 28, Victoria Principal became a significant reason for the show’s international success. As Pamela Barnes Ewing, she captivated audiences as the beautiful wife of Bobby Ewing and sister-in-law to J.R. Ewing, earning the admiration of a generation.

During her nine-year tenure on *Dallas*, Victoria received a Golden Globe nomination and two Soap Opera Digest Awards. She has since shared insights about her time on the show and her relationship with Larry Hagman, who played J.R. Ewing. “Going toe to toe with J.R., a.k.a. Larry Hagman, was always a delight. Larry was a generous actor and would find a way to talk to me the morning of the scene about how we could make it even more powerful,” she noted.

Victoria Principal wasn’t particularly close with her *Dallas* castmates. “There were phone calls, but I didn’t really have get-togethers. We never hung out really anyway. We worked together and we had different lives. When I started the show, Patrick was married and starting a family, Steve was married and starting a family, Larry was married with children, Linda was married with children. I was single. And so those are very different lifestyles,” she shared with *People*.

In 1987, Victoria decided to leave the hit TV series. Her departure was influenced by several factors. “A lot of work has gone into keeping Victoria Principal separate from Pam Ewing. To stay on the show any longer would really seal my fate in the industry,” she explained to *The New York Times*.

Victoria Principal even turned down a lucrative contract offer that would have made her the highest-paid actress on TV at the time. “The first five years on *Dallas* were so unbelievably wonderful—then some key writers departed, and by year seven, there was a decline in the writing, which was an enormous part of my decision to leave. I informed the producers during renegotiations in the seventh year that I would only stay for two more. They wanted a longer contract, and I said no. I was completely transparent. I learned a lot from playing Pam. She was someone with such innate goodness and who was courageous in fighting for what she believed in. It was really a privilege to play her,” she shared with *Entertainment Weekly*.

After leaving *Dallas*, Victoria could have retired comfortably, but she chose to invest heavily in her skincare company, Principal Secret, which she launched in 1984. The company has been highly successful, generating over $1.5 billion in revenue. According to *Celebrity Net Worth*, Victoria Principal’s net worth stands at an impressive $350 million.

Despite the success of *Dallas*, Victoria attributes much of her subsequent achievements to the platform it provided. “I continue to be passionately dedicated to running my skincare company, Principal Secret. We are about to celebrate 27 years in business. And I have never forgotten that *Dallas* gave me the springboard to achieve so many of my dreams,” she told *TV Insider* in 2018.

In 2019, Victoria announced she was stepping down from her company after 30 years to focus on philanthropy. “After 30 years in the skincare business and 28 years as the President & Founder of Principal Secret, I will be stepping down to devote myself full time to my philanthropic work through The Victoria Principal Foundation for Thoughtful Existence and my rescue work with animals,” she stated.

Victoria’s philanthropic efforts have included notable donations, such as a fleet of rescue boats to the American Humane Society following Hurricane Harvey in 2018, and $25,000 for fire restoration efforts after the California Wildfires in 2018.

Regarding her personal life, Victoria has been married and divorced twice. Despite a reputation of being a man-hunter, she describes her romantic history as relatively modest. “No one who ever dated me has ever said an unkind thing about me,” she claimed. “I’ve probably had fewer relationships than many in my 33 years, but no one will ever believe it,” she told *People* in 1983.

Victoria met her first husband, Christopher Skinner, a young actor, on the set of *Dallas*. They married after just three dates but divorced two years later. Victoria cited her demanding job as a factor in their separation.

Following her first marriage, Victoria had a high-profile but troubled relationship with English singer-songwriter Andy Gibb. Despite their strong chemistry, Gibb’s lifestyle and addiction proved too difficult for Victoria. “I did everything I could to help him, but then I told him he would have to choose between me and his problem,” Victoria said after Gibb’s passing in 1998.

In 1985, Victoria married Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Harry Glassman in Dallas, Texas.

Since Victoria Principal married a plastic surgeon, there was speculation that her husband may have played a role in helping her maintain her youthful appearance. However, in a 2007 interview, Victoria clarified that she had never undergone any cosmetic procedures with her husband’s assistance. “I’ve never had a face-lift. Or a professional peel or lasers,” she stated.

Victoria and Dr. Harry Glassman divorced in December 2006. Reflecting on their time together, she noted, “We have had a loving relationship for over 20 years.”

Victoria has no biological children of her own, but during her marriage to Glassman, she grew close with his two children from a previous relationship, Andrew and Brooke.

Today, Victoria Principal focuses on her philanthropic work and her foundation, continuing to make significant contributions to various causes. Her life reflects a commitment to both personal fulfillment and giving back, while her legacy remains intertwined with the success of *Dallas* and her achievements in the skincare industry.

Victoria Principal remains very active on social media, offering her 400,000 followers a glimpse into her life through her Facebook page. She often shares photos and short videos from her ranch outside of Los Angeles, where she dedicates time to rehabilitating animals.

Seeing her updates brings tears of joy, showcasing the amazing person she is today. Her followers get a look at her daily life on the ranch, along with occasional throwback photos and clips from her *Dallas* days and acting career. While she may look different from her time on the show, it’s a testament to the natural course of life and the beauty of her journey.