Valerie Bertinelli Is Iconic 70s Chic In Vintage Pic From Childhood

"One Day at a Time" alum Valerie Bertinelli has had quite the stunning transformation. But while the actress who brought Barbara Cooper Royer for nine seasons would grow up to live a lavish life, Bertinelli actually comes from rather humble beginnings. The stars of "One Day at a Time" look rather different today, and Bertinelli decided to celebrate her brother's birthday in 2025 by reminding everyone that she's always been iconic.

On Aug. 4, 2025, Bertinelli took to Instagram to share a vintage pic from her childhood, featuring herself enjoying some time outside alongside her brother Patrick. Though the photo isn't dated, judging by its warm, orange tint, not to mention the chic clothes the Bertinelli siblings are wearing, we're going to guess it was taken sometime around the early 1970s — shortly before Valerie had her big break. Speaking of, the longtime TV star also included a more recent picture of herself alongside her brother, showing just how much things have changed over the decades. One thing that clearly hadn't changed, however, was their bond, and that signature snark that anyone who grew up with siblings is sure to recognize. "Happy birthday to the World's Okayest Brother!" Bertinelli wrote in the post caption, adding, "Rock those stripes little Mud ... I love youuuuuu."

Just four months earlier, Bertinelli made a number of Instagram posts celebrating her own 65th birthday, including one where she quipped that she was now old enough to receive Medicare benefits.

Valerie Bertinelli's first brush with the TV cameras came in 1974, when she appeared in an episode of the CBS drama "Apple's Way." The producers at CBS evidently saw potential, as just one year later, when she would have been about 15, Bertinelli debuted as part of the main cast of the network's new sitcom, "One Day at a Time." The show would go on to run for nine years, with the actress playing the role of Barbara through 1984. Bertinelli would return to CBS in 1990, starring opposite future "Friends" star Matthew Perry in the short-lived sitcom "Sydney." She would subsequently enjoy major roles in shows like "Touched by an Angel" and "Hot in Cleveland."

Still, "One Day at a Time" is what started it all. "I remember being 15, standing at the apartment door, and really thinking, at 15 years old, 'This is gonna change my life,'" Bertinelli told Entertainment Weekly in February 2025 ahead of the sitcom's 50th anniversary. That said, we should mention that growing up in the spotlight isn't always easy, something Bertinelli knows all too well. During an April 2025 appearance on "The Drew Barrymore Show," she even confessed that she sought therapy at age 20 on the advice of "One Day at a Time" co-star Bonnie Franklin. "She could see that I was struggling, and she sent me to a psychiatrist. She sent me to a therapist," Bertinelli recalled (via Variety).