Eldest of 2 daughters born to Victor Principal and Ree Veal. Her
father, a sergeant in the U. S. Air Force, moved the family
constantly, and Victoria grew up in London, Florida, Puerto Rico,
Massachusetts, and Georgia, among other places. She and her sister
attended 17 different schools. Victoria's acting career began in a
commercial when she was 5, and she began modeling in high school.
She enrolled at Miami-Dade Community College, and wanted to study
chiropractic medicine. However, being seriously injured in a car
crash at age 18 made her refocus her energy on her love of acting.
She moved to New York, where she worked as a model and actress. She
then studied at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and moved
to Los Angeles in 1971. Her first film was as a Mexican mistress in
The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, starring Paul Newman. Four
years later she became so disappointed with her career that she
quit acting and spent the next 3 years working as an agent. In
1978, she planned on going to law school and later become a studio
executive, but Aaron Spelling offered her 1 year's tuition to
accept a role in the pilot of Fantasy Island. She agreed, and
renewed her love of acting. Soon after, she landed the role of
Pamela Ewing on CBS' long-running soap Dallas. She left the show
after 9 years, and began her own production company, Victoria
Principal Productions. She continues to work as an actress and
producer, and has also created a line of skin care products and
written 3 books about beauty and skin-care.
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