Wood Natalie

Natalie Wood (Public Profile)

Birth: July 20, 1938 · San Francisco, California, United States

Death: November 29, 1981 · Santa Catalina Island, California

Natalie Wood was an American film and television actress renowned for her luminous screen presence in classic Hollywood cinema. Beginning as a child star, she became an iconic leading actress in the 1950s and 1960s, later remembered for a tragically short life and a career that left a lasting imprint on popular culture. Her work spans dramatic roles, musical appearances, and collaborations with acclaimed directors and co-stars.

News and public coverage

• 1981–83: Natalie Wood’s death on a yacht with her husband and friends prompted early public and media scrutiny around the circumstances and cause of death.
• 2012: The Los Angeles County coroner reopened the case and reclassified the cause of death as "drowning and other undetermined factors," keeping the investigation open for new evidence.
• 2010s–2020s: Documentaries and retrospective programs revisited her life and the questions surrounding her passing, renewing public interest in her career and legacy.
• As of the latest public reporting, no charges have been filed related to her death, and the case remains officially unresolved in terms of criminal accountability.

Filmography (selected)

• Miracle on 34th Street (1947) – as a child actor
• Rebel Without a Cause (1955) – as Judy Hale
• West Side Story (1961) – Maria
• Splendor in the Grass (1961) – Deanie Loomis
• Love with the Proper Stranger (1963) – Charlie Dwyer
• Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969) – Carol Sanders

Personal life

Wood married actor Robert Wagner (two marriages: 1957–1962 and 1972–1981). She later had a daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner, with film producer Richard Gregson. Her relationships and family life, like her body of work, are frequently cited in discussions of mid‑20th‑century American cinema.

Death and investigations

Wood died at age 43 in a drowning incident while aboard the Splendor, a yacht owned by her husband Robert Wagner. The immediate cause was recorded as drowning, but questions about the events leading up to her death persisted. In 2012, the Los Angeles County coroner reclassified her death as drowning with other undetermined factors, and the case has remained a topic of public and media interest without charges filed to date.

Legacy and posthumous projects

Wood’s legacy endures through her influential film work and ongoing public fascination with the circumstances of her death. Posthumous projects and archival releases—from documentaries examining her life to reissued works of her films—have kept her memory in contemporary discourse. The public-facing narrative is largely shaped by critics, fans, and film historians who celebrate her performances and examine the era she helped define.

News and media presence

There is no official public-facing social media presence maintained by a studio or family estate for Natalie Wood. Fans and organizations operate non‑official pages on various platforms, though these are not verified representations of her personal accounts or estate communications.

Notes on availability and accuracy

Public information about Natalie Wood comes from film history, archival interviews, and reputable media coverage. This profile summarizes widely reported facts: birth in 1938 in San Francisco, a prominent acting career, a high-profile marriage, an untimely death in 1981, and subsequent public interest and documentation. For detailed sourcing, refer to film histories and established biographical resources.