Natalie Wood

Natalie Wood (July 20, 1938 – November 29, 1981) was an American actress.

Early life
Natalie Wood's parents were Russian immigrants Nikolai Stepanovich Zakharenko and Maria Stepanovna. Her parents moved to Santa Rosa, California. The family moved to Los Angeles. Wood began a career there. Her younger sister, Svetlana Zacharenko also became an actress using the stage name Lana Wood.

Career
In the 1950s, Wood became a teen idol. When she shot the movie Rebel Without a Cause with James Dean, she was 16 years old. She got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for the role as Judy in this movie. She got a Golden Globe Award nomination in the category New Star Of The Year – Actress.

Her most successful role was as "Maria" in the movie West Side Story in 1961.

Personal life
Wood was married to Robert Wagner from 1957 to 1962. She was married to Richard Gregson for a short time. They had a daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner. In 1972, Wood and Wagner married again.

Death
In 1981, Wood worked on the movie Brainstorm with Christopher Walken. During a boat trip with Walken and her husband Robert Wagner, she drowned near Santa Catalina Island, California. She is buried in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery.

 Other websites 

Category:Accidental deaths by drowning in the United States
Category:Actors from San Francisco
Category:American child actors
Category:American movie actors
Category:American television actors
Category:Golden Globe Award winning actors
Category:1938 births
Category:1981 deaths