Victoria Principal, who played Pamela on "Dallas", is now 72 — what does she look like today?
The most successful TV soap opera of all time, Dallas, will always be one of my favorites. In fact, I could watch the entire series again just for the pleasure of seeing Victoria Principal.
In her iconic role as Pamela Barnes Ewing, Victoria was one of the main reasons to watch Dallas, alongside Larry Hagman, who played the ruthless oil tycoon J.R. Ewing.
Today, Victoria has turned 74—and I think you’ll be quite surprised when you see the latest photos of this timeless beauty…
Victoria Principal, now 74, has always been a multifaceted woman. Throughout her long career, she has been a successful actress, author, producer, and entrepreneur in the skincare industry.
Perhaps this is partly due to her upbringing—Victoria grew up in many different places and constantly had to adapt to new environments.
Born in Japan
Victoria Ree Principal was born on January 3, 1950, in Japan. Her father, a sergeant in the United States Air Force, was stationed in Fukuoka, and Victoria spent her first months of life there.
Her family moved frequently during her childhood. Victoria and her mother lived on various U.S. Air Force bases, and she spent time growing up in England, Puerto Rico, Massachusetts, and Florida, among other places.
During her early school years, Victoria attended 17 different schools, including the prestigious Royal Ballet School in England. It’s hard to say whether her childhood was truly happy, as accounts vary.
According to Daily Mail, Victoria and her mother had a complicated relationship, and she once described her childhood as miserable. In a 2012 interview with Huffington Post, when asked what she wished she had known earlier in life, she said: “I wish I had known my childhood would end.”
On the other hand, she is also often quoted as saying: “I was very lucky. My parents raised me in such a way that it never occurred to me I wasn’t equal.”
What we do know is that Victoria started working at a very young age. At just five years old, she landed her first job in a television commercial.
However, when she enrolled at Miami-Dade Community College in 1968, she initially chose a completely different path—studying medicine.
Had things gone as planned, she might have become a doctor.
A life-changing accident
But fate had other plans. Just months before finishing her first year of college, Victoria was seriously injured in a car accident while driving home from the library.
She spent months recovering in bed and undergoing rehabilitation.
Unfortunately, she lost valuable time at school and had to repeat her first year. That was when she made a dramatic decision to change her life—she moved to New York to pursue acting.
After working as both an actress and a model in New York and Europe, she relocated to Los Angeles in 1971 to pursue major film roles.
She eventually landed a role in John Huston’s Western film The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, playing the lover of the main character, portrayed by Paul Newman.
Struggles in Hollywood
It was clear she had talent. Victoria received a Golden Globe nomination for Most Promising Newcomer, and her name began gaining recognition in Hollywood.
However, after that early success, she struggled to find satisfying roles. Her next film, The Naked Ape, failed, which affected her confidence.
“I wanted to succeed simply because I didn’t want to hurt myself. I became very protective of myself,” she told People.
In 1974, she appeared in the disaster film Earthquake, which was a major box-office hit. But in 1975, while filming the action movie Vigilante Force, she felt something was deeply wrong.
Overwhelmed by the pressure to maintain a perfect image, she broke down.
“I realized I was so unhappy that I didn’t want to live,” she said.
She decided to step away from acting and study law. Between 1975 and 1977, she worked as a talent agent, which brought her relief.
For the first time, people valued her for her ideas and abilities rather than her appearance.
It was during this time that she first encountered the script for Dallas. Although she had previously received offers to return to acting, it wasn’t until she read that script that everything changed.
“When I finished reading it, I knew my life had changed—that role was mine,” she said. She even submitted herself for the audition—and got the role of Pamela Barnes Ewing.
A global phenomenon
Victoria believed Dallas would be a success from the start. She negotiated her own contract with CBS, allowing her to maintain control over her image and pursue other projects.
Premiering in 1978, Dallas became one of the greatest TV dramas of all time. It’s hard to describe just how popular it was—modern audiences may never fully understand how a soap opera became a global phenomenon.
The show followed the wealthy and feuding Ewing family in Texas. Victoria, who was 28 when the show premiered, became a global star.
As Pamela—the beautiful wife of Bobby Ewing and sister-in-law to J.R.—she became a crush for an entire generation.
During her nine years on the show, she was nominated for a Golden Globe and two Soap Opera Digest Awards.
She also spoke about her co-star Larry Hagman: “Working opposite J.R., a.k.a. Larry Hagman, was always a delight. He was generous and always looked for ways to make our scenes better.”
However, she wasn’t particularly close with her co-stars off-screen, as their lifestyles were very different.
Why she left Dallas
Victoria left the show in 1987. She explained that continuing longer might have typecast her permanently.
“The first five years were incredible, but later the writing declined, which influenced my decision to leave,” she said.
She even turned down a massive contract that would have made her the highest-paid actress on TV at the time.
Personal life
Despite rumors, Victoria wasn’t a “man-eater.” She was married twice—fairly typical in Hollywood.
She met her first husband, Christopher Skinner, on the set of Dallas. They married after just three dates but divorced two years later, partly due to her demanding work schedule.
She later had a high-profile relationship with singer Andy Gibb, but his lifestyle and struggles with addiction ended their relationship.
In 1985, she married Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Harry Glassman. They divorced in 2006 after more than 20 years together.
Despite speculation, Victoria has denied undergoing cosmetic procedures, stating she has never had a facelift, professional peel, or laser treatment.
She does not have biological children but formed close relationships with her second husband’s children.
Her life today
Today, at 74, Victoria Principal remains very active on social media. She spends much of her time on her ranch outside Los Angeles, where she rescues and rehabilitates animals.
May you like
Her followers get a glimpse into her daily life through photos and videos she shares online. She occasionally posts throwback images from her Dallas days as well.
Of course, she looks different today—as we all do—but she remains incredibly beautiful.
