Natalie Wood, the daughter of Russian Immigrants, was born Natalia Zakharenko on July 20, 1938. Natalie got her first role at the age of 4 in a movie called Happy Land (1943). She continued playing the roles of young girls until the age of 16, where she landed the role of Judy in the legendary film Rebel Without a Cause (1955). This role showed Hollywood and the world that she had grown up into a beautiful and very talented young woman. For this role, she was nominated for her first Academy Award. As a teenager, Natalie dated many big names in the entertainment business like Elvis Presley, and Dennis Hopper.
However, on December 28th, 1957, Natalie married the love of her life Robert Wagner (R.J. as Natalie called him). They divorced in 1962, later to remarry. Natalie once commented about their divorce saying they were both scared, insecure, and listened to others that their marriage wouldn't work. In the 1960s, Natalie's career boomed, and she was nominated for two more Academy Awards, (Splendor in the Grass (1961) and Love with the Proper Stranger (1963). On May 30, 1969, Natalie married producer Richard Gregson. They had a daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner, on September 29, 1970.
She divorced Gregson in 1972 after finding out he was having an affair. R.J. and Natalie remarried on July 16, 1972. On March 9, 1974, R.J. and Natalie had a daughter Courtney Wagner. They lived happily as husband and wife until tragically, while sailing on their yacht Splendour, Natalie had an accident trying to board the dinghy belonging to the boat, fell into the water, and, while trying to recover, drowned.