canThis famous actor left his homeland to chase the American dream and found lasting love along the way. Their love story began on college grounds and stretched into the bright lights of Hollywood. Decades later, they’re still side by side.
He’s one of daytime television’s most recognizable faces, a veteran actor whose career has spanned decades and whose presence has defined a long-running soap opera. And as the saying goes, behind every great man is a great woman — and in his case, that couldn’t be more true.
His wife has been a steady presence from the beginning, offering unwavering support. From meeting in college and shaping his most iconic role to raising a family through decades in the spotlight, here’s a look at the love story that has endured behind the scenes.
A Journey Across Continents and the Start of a Lasting Love
Before fame, red carpets, and a decades-long run on television, this Hollywood star was just a young man chasing a dream across the Atlantic.
Fresh out of high school, he left his home country of Germany and set his sights on the United States. “I saw America as a land of opportunity,” he later said, “but also as the land of adventure, the land of cowboys and Indians.”
His arrival was marked by a striking moment — the Statue of Liberty emerging in the early morning light as he approached New York Harbor aboard an ocean liner. Los Angeles wasn’t his first stop, but it quickly became his home.
He had traveled there to find a distributor for a documentary he co-created with a fellow student. The film, “The Riverbusters,” led to appearances on talk shows and a short-lived promotional tour.
When his collaborator returned to Montana, the actor stayed behind in L.A. with $500 from Johnson Motors and a commitment to see what could come next. However, the early days were tough.
In 1980, this Hollywood star made a career-defining choice.
He parked cars, moved furniture, and played soccer for $10 a game. He also worked as a busboy at La Scala, an upscale restaurant. But alongside the hustle, he enrolled in Santa Monica State College to study political science — and it was there that everything changed.
He met his future wife on campus. She had gone to Catholic school, was well-read, and deeply familiar with European literature. That shared cultural foundation created an immediate connection. In 1966, they married. However, fame hadn’t arrived yet, and he was still working small roles in theater, film, and television.
But she believed in his potential and stood by him through it all. From the beginning, this famous actor’s wife provided stability. They later welcomed a son, who followed his father’s footsteps into the entertainment industry.
The Quiet Force That Shaped a Soap Opera Icon
In 1980, this Hollywood star made a career-defining choice. When he accepted the role of the calculating and complex businessman Victor Newman on the long-running daytime drama “The Young and the Restless,” he couldn’t have known it would come to define him in the eyes of millions.
The show would become a household staple, and the character — equal parts ruthless and charismatic — would go on to dominate storylines for decades.
But behind his polished performances was someone who offered guidance that shaped his portrayal from the very beginning. Early in his run, he struggled with certain storylines he found implausible.
His instinct was to signal that disbelief to the audience subtly. However, it was his wife who challenged that approach. “Make those limiting parameters a challenge instead of fighting it,” she told him. That shift in mindset changed everything. He later revealed:
“And I suddenly looked at it very differently. […] It changed my attitude about that medium, which was arguably, as an actor, the toughest medium in our business.”
Without that insight, his career might have taken a completely different path as the physical demands of soap operas were intense. Memorizing 10 pages of dialogue daily was standard; on one occasion, he tackled 62.
The pace was relentless. After his first season, the famous actor was ready to walk away. He didn’t enjoy the format and didn’t intend to re-sign. But once again, his wife intervened.
She saw what he couldn’t at the time — that this role, for all its challenges, was worth committing to. She encouraged him to stay, and ultimately, to see the work as something to master rather than avoid.
She had a brief acting career of her own but chose a quieter life as a interior designer and focused on supporting her husband’s journey.
“She encouraged me from early on in this very tough business,” he said in an interview years later. “She did indeed encourage me to sign for the next many years.”
That decision paid off. His performance would become one of the most enduring in the history of the genre. In 1997, he won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor.
Though he didn’t attend the ceremony, he later reflected on the people he would have thanked. His wife would have topped the list. “She has always been critically positive and encouraging. She has been extremely loyal and supportive from the beginning of my career,” he said.
The actor would have also thanked his son, as well as the writers and producers who gave him the opportunity to bring the character to life.
A Love That Endured the Spotlight
This Emmy-winning actor known to millions as Victor Newman from “The Young and the Restless” is none other than Eric Braeden, and the woman who has been by his side since his college days is Dale Russell, his wife of over 50 years and the person he calls his greatest supporter.
Though she has remained largely out of the spotlight, her influence has been constant. She had a brief acting career of her own but chose a quieter life as an interior designer and focused on supporting her husband’s journey.
“Because Dale is so private, people don’t realize how much she influences what I do or don’t do,” the Hollywood star explained. “I make many decisions only after consulting her. She has been a supportive and calming influence in my life.”
That influence extended beyond his work on screen. Over the years, the actor was frequently approached to write his memoirs but always resisted. It was his wife who pushed him to take it seriously.
Together, they raised their son, Christian Gudegast, now a successful producer, writer, and director.
As for their long-standing relationship, when asked about the secret to their happy marriage, Braeden offered a thoughtful response that reflected decades of shared history. “Falling in love is the first part of it, but you also have to like the person,” he said.
“That means that you like who they are, that you like being with them. You like having conversations with them. You obviously share the most extraordinary things in life with them,” the actor remarked.
He further acknowledged that the initial thrill of being in love eventually settles into something deeper — and for a marriage to last, that deeper connection has to be real.
“Do I basically respect the person for who they are?” he said. “That only comes out in certain life situations, or when political decisions have to be made or there are certain developments on the news — then you get to know the person.”
Together, they raised their son, Christian Gudegast, now a successful producer, writer, and director. In 2021, Braeden described him as “arguably the greatest gift of my life and always has been,” adding, “We talk to each other almost every night.”
As of 2020, the couple had three grandchildren. “I adore them,” the actor said. “Nothing makes me more happy than seeing them.”
Through it all — 50-plus years of marriage, a legendary television role, and a life filled with personal and professional triumphs — he has remained deeply grateful. The actor revealed:
“I’m deeply grateful to having worked with such great colleagues over the years and having had such great support from my family, from my wife.”
That support became especially important when he faced one of the toughest battles of his life. On April 21, 2023, Braeden, then 82, took to social media and revealed a heartbreaking piece of news while keeping himself composed.
During a live Facebook video session, he gave an update to his fans regarding his knee-replacement surgery and said he was recuperating well. But what he later said was deeply shocking — the German-born television icon revealed his cancer diagnosis.
Braeden, whose immunotherapy sessions reportedly helped him continue acting on “The Young and the Restless,” said he hated talking about personal issues. However, he urged people to watch his video until the end, especially older men, as it could have helped them.
The television star maintained his composure as he narrated his story. Braeden said he discovered he had cancer after he sought medical help following prostate issues.
The daytime TV legend said he frequently urinated, after which he visited his doctor. He stated that he was then given a catheter and told that a bladder treatment procedure might help make things better.
However, the actor found himself in a Los Angeles hospital after his original catheter was removed, citing his inability to urinate. The senior actor was reportedly treated by a Vietnamese doctor who learned to speak English by watching his soap opera after he moved to the States.
But that wasn’t all the doctor shared — he also gave Braeden the heart-stopping news of his cancer diagnosis. The Emmy-winning actor said high-grade cancer cells were found near his bladder while consulting his doctors about prostate issues.
Braeden explained that he also underwent a UroLift and was advised to take six weeks long immunotherapy sessions. The actor expressed that he had since slowed down his workout regimen.
While confessing how he started listening to his body more and being in tune with himself, Braeden said, “So if you’ve seen me a little under the weather, yeah, I have been…I’ll be in top form again soon.”
Despite this, the Hollywood star has shown no signs of slowing down in recent years. He still finds joy in his work, his relationships, and his daily routines. “I love my life,” he said. “So, do I see myself retiring anytime soon? Hell no!”
As for his wife, the actor’s admiration for her hasn’t wavered. “My wife is beautiful,” he said. “She’s a forgiving, understanding woman and a wonderful mother to our son Christian.” Together, Braeden and Russell have built a life anchored in love and support.
