Heartbreaking Details About Natalie Wood’s Life

A Troubled Childhood: Unveiling the Untold Story of Natalie Wood

Natalie Wood, renowned actress of the silver screen, had a life filled with hardships and turmoil.

Born Natalia Nikolaevna Zakharenko to Russian immigrant parents in San Francisco, she grew up in poverty, surrounded by a complex family situation.

Although deeply loved by her parents, they both had their flaws that cast a shadow over her upbringing.

Wood's father, Nick, was a hardworking man who dedicated himself to providing for his family.

However, the challenges of surviving during and after the Great Depression, coupled with the discrimination faced by immigrants, took a toll on him.

To distance themselves from their Russian heritage, the family changed their last name to Gurdin.

Sadly, these circumstances contributed to Nick's battle with alcoholism.

While he could be a tender parent when sober, his drunken episodes often turned violent, likely stemming from the trauma of witnessing his grandfather being buried alive during the revolution.

On the other hand, Wood's mother, Maria, had her own share of issues.

A spirited yet morally ambiguous woman, Maria was known to incite Nick's anger and aggression.

Despite her love for her children, her youngest daughter, Lana, described her as a pathological liar.

No one could ever be certain if the stories that flowed from Maria's dramatic and superstitious nature were true or simply figments of her imagination.

Maria, in a way, was an actress herself, constantly reinventing her persona and playing