Natalie Wood’s Life, Career, and Lasting Hollywood Legacy
Early Years and Family Background
Natalie Wood became one of the most admired stars of classic American cinema through a career that began in childhood and continued successfully into adult life.
She was born Natalia Nikolaevna Zakharenko in San Francisco in 1938 to Russian immigrant parents. From an early age, she entered the entertainment world and quickly attracted attention for her natural screen presence.