Val Lehman's acting journey began with a brief stint at the National Theatre Drama School, followed by her writing, directing, and performing a revue while pursuing an Arts Degree at The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. However, she put her acting ambitions on hold after marrying and raising three children, during which time she worked extensively with amateur acting groups in various parts of Australia, Singapore, and England, UK.
After turning professional, Lehman worked initially as an extra in television productions and spent five years touring with the Children's Arena Theatre, playing in productions such as 'Dimboola' and several others. She then won several small featured roles in television series like rural serial Bellbird (1967) and Tandarra (1976),TV-movie Outbreak of Love (1981),and mini-series Power Without Glory (1976).
In 1978, Lehman scored the role of tough "inmate boss" Bea Smith in the new sixteen-part women's prison television serial Prisoner (1979). The series became an instant hit, and the sixteen episodes were soon extended, making it an indefinitely running serial. Bea Smith quickly emerged as the central character in most of the storylines, and Lehman became one of the most popular television actresses of the period.
During the four and a half years she played the role, Lehman won three Logies as Most Popular and Best Lead Actress in a television series. She left the series in 1983 and appeared in the play Trafford Tanzi, as well as television mini-series A Fortunate Life (1986). The Producers of "Prisoner" asked Lehman to return to the series on three occasions, but she always refused, saying she had taken the character as far as it could go.
Several other television appearances followed, but like many soap stars before her, Lehman found that the expected meaty roles and long-running fame failed to materialize, with Bea Smith remaining the highlight of her career. During the 1990s, Lehman spent several years living in England, where, as had been the case in Australia, she was unable to find much work as she was so recognizable through her work in "Prisoner".
In the late 1990s, Lehman returned to Australia, where she had guest roles in television programmes Blue Heelers (1994) and Good Guys Bad Guys (1997).
