You see him every day on The Young and the Restless as the ruthless, mustache-twirling patriarch Victor Newman. On screen, the guy has been married more times than most people have had birthdays. Nikki, Ashley, Hope, Diane—the list of Genoa City women who’ve said "I do" to Victor is long and, frankly, exhausting. It makes you wonder if the man behind the suit is just as chaotic in his personal life.
So, is Eric Braeden married in real life?
Yeah. He is. But his real-life romantic track record is the polar opposite of the soap opera drama he's famous for. While Victor Newman treats marriage like a revolving door, Eric Braeden has been with the same woman for nearly six decades.
The Woman Behind the Mustache: Who is Dale Russell Gudegast?
The lady in question is Dale Russell Gudegast. They tied the knot way back in 1966. Think about that for a second. In 1966, Lyndon B. Johnson was in the White House, and the Beatles were still touring. Eric and Dale have stayed together through the rise of color TV, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and every single plot twist the soap world could throw at them.
Dale isn't just a "celebrity wife" who hangs out at red carpet events for the cameras. She’s an artist and interior designer who actually met Eric—who was still going by his birth name, Hans-Jörg Gudegast—at Santa Monica College. He was an economics and philosophy student; she was an art major.
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Honestly, it sounds like the setup for a classic indie movie. The German immigrant athlete meets the California art student. They hit it off because of a shared love for European literature and philosophy. It wasn't about fame back then. Eric hadn't even landed his breakout role in The Rat Patrol yet. They were just two college kids trying to figure out life in Los Angeles.
Keeping It Private in a Very Public World
One of the reasons you might not see Dale’s face plastered all over the tabloids is that she values her privacy. Like, deeply. Eric has often said in interviews that people don't realize how much of an influence she has on his career because she stays behind the scenes.
"I make many decisions only after consulting her," Braeden once wrote on his website. He calls her a "calming influence." If you’ve ever seen Eric Braeden’s Twitter (now X) feed, you know the man is passionate. He’s outspoken. He’s tough. Having someone who acts as a "calming influence" for a guy that intense is probably the secret sauce to a 50-plus-year marriage.
They lived in the same home in the Pacific Palisades for over 45 years. Tragically, that home was lost in the Los Angeles fires in early 2025. Even then, when Braeden talked about the loss, he didn't focus on the stuff. He talked about the memories of his wife and granddaughters sitting in that house. It's pretty clear where his priorities lie.
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The Family Beyond the Soap
They have one son, Christian Gudegast. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s a heavy hitter in Hollywood in his own right. Christian wrote London Has Fallen and wrote/directed the Gerard Butler heist movie Den of Thieves.
Eric is basically the "Grandpa-in-Chief" now. He’s got three granddaughters—Tatiana, Oksana, and Angelika—and if you follow him on social media, you’ll see he posts about them constantly. He calls being a grandfather one of the "most delightful things" in his life. It’s a side of him you never see when he’s barking orders at Jack Abbott.
Facing Health Battles Together
Real life hasn't always been easy for the couple. In 2023, Eric went public with a bladder cancer diagnosis. He didn't hide it. He did Facebook Lives from his car, telling fans exactly what was going on.
Throughout that whole ordeal—the surgery, the immunotherapy, the "bastard" (his words) of a disease—Dale was the rock. In August 2023, he announced he was cancer-free, and as of early 2026, he’s still going strong, hitting the gym, boxing, and filming The Young and the Restless. He attributes a lot of that resilience to the support system he has at home.
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Why Their Marriage Actually Lasts
People always ask him for the secret. How do you stay married for nearly 60 years in Hollywood?
His answer is usually pretty simple: You have to actually like the person. Not just love them, but like their company. Like talking to them. He told Coming of Age magazine that mutual loyalty is everything. He was loyal to her before he was "Victor Newman," and she was loyal to him when he was a struggling actor with a name people couldn't pronounce.
Real-Life Facts vs. Soap Opera Fiction
To keep it straight, here’s the breakdown of the man versus the myth:
- Marriages: Victor Newman has had about 15. Eric Braeden has had one.
- Wife: Victor’s "great love" is Nikki Newman. Eric’s real-life rock is Dale Russell Gudegast.
- Kids: Victor has a complicated brood (Victoria, Nick, Abby, Adam). Eric has one son, Christian.
- Residence: Victor lives at the Newman Ranch. Eric lives in Los Angeles (and recently navigated a devastating house fire).
What You Can Take Away From Eric's Story
If you're looking for the answer to is Eric Braeden married in real life, the answer is a resounding yes. But the real "insight" here isn't just a "yes" or "no." It's the fact that in an industry famous for five-minute marriages and messy divorces, one of its biggest stars has built a life on a foundation of stability.
If you want to follow Eric's lead in your own life, focus on these three things he often mentions:
- Prioritize the "Like" Factor: Ensure you actually enjoy the conversation with your partner, not just the romance.
- Stay Private Where It Counts: You don't have to share everything with the world to have a successful relationship.
- Loyalty Trumps Fame: Build your foundation with people who were there before the "success" arrived.
You should definitely check out Eric’s autobiography, I’ll Be Damned. He goes into way more detail about his early years in Germany and how Dale helped him navigate the transition to becoming an American icon. It’s a solid read for anyone who wants to see the man behind the myth.