At 75 years old, Victoria Principal is finally speaking publicly about Paul Newman, the Hollywood legend she worked with early in her career and whose influence she says stayed with her for decades. In a rare reflection, she described Newman as extraordinary and acknowledged that some memories never fade. The actress, best known for her role as Pamela Barnes Ewing on the hit series Dallas, first met Newman in 1972 on the set of The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean. It was her breakout film role, and she was a relative newcomer working opposite one of Hollywood’s most established stars.
She has said their encounter was not romantic, but something that affected her deeply. She recalled his charisma as effortless rather than flashy. Born in Fukuoka, Japan, to a military family, Principal spent her early years moving between England, Puerto Rico, and the United States. She has said those constant relocations built resilience.
At 18, she survived a serious car accident that left her recovering for months. She has described the crash as a turning point that pushed her toward acting with renewed determination. Shortly after that recovery, she moved to New York to pursue acting seriously. The role opposite Newman followed soon after, launching her into the industry’s spotlight.
She later earned a Golden Globe nomination and, in 1978, joined the cast of Dallas, which became one of the most-watched television shows of its era. Her on-screen partnership with Patrick Duffy became a defining element of the series. According to Principal, Newman gave her a quiet warning during their time together that she never forgot. She has recounted that he told her Hollywood would love her but could also break her, and that the key was knowing which voice to listen to.
She has said she understood later that he was speaking from his own experience with fame and pressure. While her career flourished, her personal life went through turbulent periods. Her first marriage ended early on. Her later relationship with singer Andy Gibb reportedly became strained by his addiction struggles.
Principal has said Gibb had to choose between her and his problem. Gibb died in 1988, and Principal has acknowledged carrying the weight of unanswered questions for years afterward. Her second marriage, to Dr. Harry Glassman, lasted more than two decades before ending under the pressure of demanding careers and public scrutiny.
Away from acting, Principal built a skincare company called Principal Secret, wrote best-selling books, and founded a philanthropic foundation focused on animals and environmental causes. In her current reflections, Principal has clarified that Newman was not merely a mentor or a legend to her. She has said he was the first person who made her believe she was more than the roles she played or the beauty she was praised for. She credited his steady moral compass with helping her set boundaries during chaotic periods of her life.
She has also said Newman made her want to be better, not for the industry or for fame, but for herself. She described their connection as brief, quiet, and largely unspoken, yet one that helped shape the woman she became. His integrity, she said, became her guide, and his memory remained too precious to rush. Principal’s decision to speak now is not part of a tell-all and involves no scandal.
She has framed it as a tribute offered in reverence. In sharing her story, she says she is honoring both Newman’s legacy and her own path through a life marked by reinvention, loss, and resilience. Their paths crossed for only a short time, she reflected, but the impact lasted a lifetime.
