Dallas, the most popular primetime soap opera in TV history, will always have a particular place in my heart. To be honest, I could watch the entire series again just to take in Victoria Principal’s enthralling presence.
Both Victoria and Larry Hagman’s portrayal of the scheming oil magnate J.R. Ewing were major draws for viewers. Her portrayal as Pamela Barnes Ewing was adored by the audience!
Victoria Principal is 74 years old, and you may be shocked to see how beautiful she still is when you look at her most recent pictures.
Victoria Principal, who is currently 74 years old, has demonstrated her versatility. She has had an incredible career as an actress, writer, producer, and even the creator of her own skincare brand.
It is possible that Victoria Ree Principal’s early experiences contributed to her capacity for situational adjustment. Her life began in a foreign nation on January 3, 1950, when she was born in Fukuoka, Japan, where her father was a U.S. Air Force Sergeant stationed.
Victoria’s childhood was spent traveling, frequently relocating to different U.S. Air Force bases. She was raised in a variety of locations, including England, Florida, Puerto Rico, and Massachusetts.
Victoria Principal attended seventeen different institutions during her early school years, including the renowned Royal Ballet School in England.
There is disagreement over whether or not her early years were happy. According to The Daily Mail, Victoria’s mother Ree Principal and she had a difficult relationship. In a 2009 report, Victoria even said that her childhood was unhappy. Victoria then stated, “I wish I had known my childhood would end,” in response to a question on what she wishes she had realized sooner in a 2012 interview with the Huffington Post.
Despite all the challenges, Victoria has also mentioned the positive aspects. “I feel incredibly blessed,” she said. I was raised by my parents to believe that I was always on par.
Victoria Principal started her profession at a very young age—she was hired for her first television ad at the age of five.
When Victoria enrolled in Miami-Dade Community College in 1968, it appeared that she would pursue a completely different path: medicine. It appeared as though everything was set up for her to fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor.
However, life had other plans. Victim of a serious vehicle accident on her way home from the library a few months before her first year of college ended. She sustained some severe injuries in the collision, and it took her a long time to get better. As a result, she was forced to reconsider taking her first year over because she missed crucial lectures.
At this pivotal moment, Victoria changed significantly. After packing her things, she set out for New York City to pursue her acting career. She worked as a model and actress in New York and Europe for a while before relocating to Los Angeles in 1971 to pursue significant film parts.
Her role in John Huston’s western The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean was her big break. She portrayed Roy Bean, the lead character in the movie portrayed by Paul Newman, as his romantic interest. She gained more recognition in Hollywood thanks to this role, which also earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Newcomer.
Despite her success in Hollywood, Victoria faced some difficult circumstances. She told People that while at first she thought she was well-liked, she eventually realized that many people were merely using her as a “hot meal ticket.” Finding excellent roles became difficult for her after her breakthrough performance in The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean. Her self-esteem was significantly impacted by the box office failure of her subsequent film, The Naked Ape.
“My desire for success stemmed from my need to avoid harm. I started to become tough. I started to really guard myself,” Victoria Principal said to People.
She starred in the massively successful disaster film Earthquake in 1974. However, Victoria began to experience extreme stress in 1975 while working on Vigilante Force due to the pressure to maintain a perfect image. “I realized I was so sad I did not want to live,” she admitted.
Rather than pursuing feature films, she chose to concentrate on her legal career and worked as a talent agent from 1975 until 1977. Victoria was relieved about this shift because it meant that her skills and knowledge will now be valued rather than just her appearance.
Victoria first became interested in the television series Dallas while she was an agent. She had opportunities to return to the stage, but it was not until she read the Dallas screenplay that she made the decision to do so. “I was going to law school and had given up acting to become an agent, but I could not put down a Dallas script that a buddy sent me.” After I finished reading, I realized the position was meant for me, and my life was about to change. I told the casting director, “I am sending someone in,” over the phone. “Who?” she enquired. I answered, “Just put my name down.” It will come as a shock. And I really showed up, so it was truly unexpected! I applied for the audition on my own! Victoria disclosed.
One of Victoria’s greatest career moments was landing the role of Pamela Barnes Ewing. “I was already a tremendous fan of the program and the character when I went in for my audition for Dallas,” she revealed. I thought the script was something very extraordinary the moment I read it, and I wanted nothing more than to be a part of it. I simply could not see myself in a role other than Pam.” She seemed to be destined for the part.
Victoria made sure she maintained control over her reputation and career by using her extensive industry knowledge to negotiate a deal with CBS. “Looking back, I was the only member of the cast authoring books, producing TV movie adaptations, and doing advertisements, and all of that is mine,” the woman remarked. I maintained ownership and control over my image. I am not owned by anyone.
When Dallas debuted on television in 1978, it immediately rose to the top of the genre. It attracted attention from people worldwide and left a lasting impression on viewers everywhere. The Ewing family, a wealthy Texas family with significant holdings in both cattle ranching and the oil industry, was the subject of the show.
Victoria Principal started to play a big part in the show is global popularity at the age of 28. A generation of people came to admire Pamela Barnes Ewing, the stunning wife of Bobby Ewing and sister-in-law of J.R. Ewing who mesmerized audiences.
Victoria won two Soap Opera Digest Awards and was nominated for a Golden Globe during her nine years on Dallas. She has discussed her time on the program, as well as her connection with J.R. Ewing’s actor Larry Hagman. “It was always enjoyable to compete against J.R., or Larry Hagman as we used to call him,” she remarked. Larry was really considerate and would talk with me early in the morning before our scenes to discuss how we might improve them.
Victoria Principal’s relationships with her Dallas co-stars were not close. “We did have some phone calls, but we never truly got together,” the woman said. We were not really friends. Although we had diverse lives, we coworked together. When I started watching the show, Larry had children, Linda had a married family, Steve had also just been married and had a family, and Patrick had also started a family. Our lifestyles were really different because I was unmarried,” she said to People.
Victoria made the decision to depart the popular TV show in 1987. Numerous causes contributed to her departure. Maintaining Victoria Principal’s separation from Pam Ewing has taken a great deal of effort. She told The New York Times that “to stay on the show any longer would definitely seal my fate in the profession.”
Victoria Principal declined a hefty contract offer that would have elevated her to the status of highest-paid television actress at that particular time. “The first five years of Dallas were just incredible—after that, numerous important writers left, and by year seven, the writing was getting worse, which played a big influence in my decision to quit. I told the producers I would only be around for two more years during the seventh year’s renegotiations. They requested an extended contract, but I declined. I was quite open and honest. I took a lot of lessons from playing Pam. She had such a strong sense of morality and the bravery to stand up for her convictions. “Playing her was truly an honor,” she said to Entertainment Weekly.
Victoria had the opportunity to retire and lead a comfortable life after leaving Dallas, but she chose to invest a significant amount of money in her 1984 skincare company, Principal Secret. The company achieved remarkable success, generating over $1.5 billion in revenue. Victoria Principal’s net worth is estimated by Celebrity Net Worth to be approximately $350 million.
Dallas was a huge hit, but Victoria feels that the possibilities it afforded her contributed greatly to her success in the future. “I am still very much dedicated to Principal Secret, my skincare line, which will soon celebrate its 27th year! In 2018, she said to TV Insider, “I always remember that Dallas helped me restart so many of my goals.”
Victoria declared in 2019 that she was leaving her company after thirty years in order to concentrate on philanthropy. “I will be stepping down to devote myself full time to my humanitarian work through The Victoria Principal Foundation for Thoughtful Existence and my animal rescue work,” she said, following 30 years in the cosmetics industry and 28 years as President & Founder of Principal Secret.
Victoria has done a great deal to benefit other people. For instance, she sent the American Humane Society several rescue boats during Hurricane Harvey’s devastation in 2018. In addition, she donated $25,000 to aid in the cleanup efforts following the California wildfires of that year.
In her private life, Victoria has gone through two marriages and divorces. She sees her romantic history as modest, despite her image as a man-hunter. She asserted, “Nobody who has ever dated me has ever uttered a harsh thing about me.” In 1983, she told People, “I have probably had fewer romances than many in my 33 years, but no one will ever believe it.”
While working on the Dallas set, Victoria got to know her husband, Christopher Skinner, who was then a young actor. Sadly, they split two years after being married after just three dates. Victoria said that a major factor in their breakup was her demanding work schedule.
Victoria had a well-known but tumultuous relationship with English singer-songwriter Andy Gibb after her first marriage. Even though they had a great chemistry, Victoria found Gibb’s addiction and lifestyle to be too challenging. Following Gibb’s death in 1998, Victoria remarked, “I did everything I could to help him, but then I told him he would have to pick between me and his issue.”
Victoria wed Dr. Harry Glassman, a plastic surgeon from Beverly Hills, in Dallas, Texas, in 1985.
People began to question if Victoria Principal’s marriage to a plastic surgeon contributed to her youthful appearance. However, Victoria corrected the record in a 2007 interview, stating that she never underwent any cosmetic procedures with his assistance. “I have never had a face-lift,” she declared. using lasers or a professional peel.”
December 2006 saw the divorce of Dr. Harry Glassman and Victoria. In her reflections, she said, “We had been in a wonderful relationship for more than 20 years.”
Although Victoria is childless, she developed a deep bond with Glassman’s two stepchildren, Andrew and Brooke, from his previous relationship.
Victoria Principal is now fully committed to her foundation and charity endeavors, contributing significantly to a wide range of charities. Her legacy is strongly associated with her success in Dallas and her achievements in the skincare industry. She demonstrates a great devotion to both her personal happiness and serving others.
Victoria Principal is still quite active on social media, providing her 400,000 fans with a behind-the-scenes look at her life on Facebook. She frequently posts images and brief films from her ranch outside of Los Angeles, where she spends time helping animals get better.
She has grown into such an amazing girl, and seeing her updates makes me incredibly happy—sometimes to the point of tears. In addition to some amusing vintage pictures and videos from her time on Dallas and her acting career, her followers get to witness what her daily routine is like on the ranch. She may not look the same as she did on the show, but that only goes to show how life changes and what a wonderful trip she has had.
H/T : wdyst.me
