Victoria Principal at 74: Her Transformation Will Leave You Speechless

The hit show *Dallas* is one of the most successful primetime soaps in TV history and has always been a fan favorite. For many, one of the biggest reasons to watch the show was the talented actress Victoria Principal.

In her iconic role as Pamela Barnes Ewing, Victoria brought heart and charm to *Dallas*, standing out alongside Larry Hagman, who played the infamous oil tycoon J. R. Ewing.

Now, Victoria Principal is 74 years old, and fans are amazed by how incredible she still looks. You’ll be surprised to see the latest photos of this timeless beauty …

Victoria Principal, now 74, has always been a woman of many talents. Throughout her long career, she found success as an actress, author, producer, and skincare entrepreneur.

Her ability to excel in so many areas might be linked to her upbringing, as she was constantly moving and adapting to new environments.

**Born in Japan**
Victoria Ree Principal was born on January 3, 1950, in Japan. Her father, a United States Air Force Sergeant, was stationed in the city of Fukuoka, so Victoria spent her first few months in Japan.

Because of her father’s military career, Victoria and her family moved frequently during her childhood. She lived in several places, including England, Puerto Rico, Massachusetts, and Florida, among others.

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

It’s unclear if her childhood was truly happy, as reports differ. According to *Daily Mail* in 2009, Victoria had a difficult relationship with her mother, Ree Principal, and once described her childhood as miserable. In a 2012 interview with the *Huffington Post*, Victoria reflected on her early life, saying, “I wish I had known my childhood would end.”

On the flip side, Victoria has also shared a more positive view of her upbringing, famously stating, “I was very lucky. My parents raised me in such a way that it never occurred to me that I wasn’t equal.”

What we do know is that Victoria Principal began working at a very young age. At just 5 years old, she got her first job in a television commercial.

However, when Victoria enrolled at Miami-Dade Community College in 1968, she seemed to be on a completely different career path. She chose to study medicine, and if life had gone as planned, she would have likely become a doctor.

### Victoria Principal’s Car Crash
But fate intervened. Just months before finishing her first year of college, Victoria was involved in a serious car accident on her way home from the library. The crash left her with severe injuries, forcing her to spend months recovering in rehab.

Because of her recovery time, she missed essential classes and was faced with repeating her first year of studies. It was at this point that Victoria decided to take a drastic turn in her life. Instead of continuing with medicine, she moved to New York City to pursue acting.

After gaining experience acting and modeling in New York and Europe, Victoria relocated to Los Angeles in 1971 to seek bigger film opportunities.

Her persistence paid off when she secured a role in John Huston’s western film, *The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean*. In the film, she played the mistress of the title character, portrayed by Paul Newman.

### Struggled in Hollywood

It was clear that Victoria Principal had talent. After her role in *The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean*, she earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Newcomer. Her name was becoming more recognized in Hollywood.

However, Victoria quickly learned that fame came with its challenges. “People started inviting me to parties. I thought these people really liked me, but I found out I was only a hot meal ticket,” Victoria told *People*.

Despite the early success, Victoria struggled to find fulfilling roles. Her next film, *The Naked Ape*, was a major disappointment, and the failure of the movie 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 told *People*.

In 1974, she starred in the disaster film *Earthquake*, which was a big box-office hit. But by 1975, while filming *Vigilante Force*, Victoria felt something was wrong. The pressure to maintain a perfect image became too much, and she collapsed under the stress.

“I realized I was so unhappy I didn’t want to live,” she explained.

Victoria decided to step away from movies and turned her focus to studying law. Between 1975 and 1977, she worked as a talent agent, which gave her a sense of relief. For most of her life, the focus had been on her looks and appearance, but as an agent, she was valued for her skills and ideas.

During this time, Victoria came across the script for *Dallas*. She had received offers to return to acting, but it wasn’t until she read the *Dallas* script that she felt compelled to go back to acting.

“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 asked, ‘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 shared.

As we all know, Victoria landed the role of Pamela Barnes Ewing, and the rest is history.