Evan Rachel Wood and Natalie Wood are two of the most famous actresses in Hollywood history. They have both starred in critically acclaimed films and TV shows, and have earned multiple awards and nominations for their performances. But are they related by blood or by name? Here is the truth behind the Hollywood stars.
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Who is Evan Rachel Wood?
Evan Rachel Wood is an American actress who was born on September 7, 1987, in Raleigh, North Carolina. She began acting as a child, appearing in several TV shows, such as American Gothic and Once and Again. She made her film debut as a leading actress at the age of nine in Digging to China, and gained recognition for her role as the troubled teenager Tracy Freeland in the drama film Thirteen, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination.
She continued to act in mostly independent films, such as Pretty Persuasion, Down in the Valley, Running with Scissors, and Across the Universe. She also starred in mainstream films, such as The Wrestler, Whatever Works, The Ides of March, and Frozen II. She is best known for her role as Dolores Abernathy in the HBO sci-fi series Westworld, for which she won a Critics’ Choice Award and earned Golden Globe and Emmy nominations.
Wood is also a singer and a musician. She has performed with various bands and artists, such as Marilyn Manson, whom she was engaged to in 2010. She is also an activist and an advocate for survivors of sexual abuse and domestic violence. She came out as bisexual in 2011, and has dated both men and women. She was married to actor Jamie Bell from 2012 to 2014, with whom she has a son.
Who is Natalie Wood?
Natalie Wood was an American actress who was born on July 20, 1938, in San Francisco, California. Her birth name was Natalia Zacharenko, and she was the daughter of Russian immigrants. She started acting at the age of four, and was given a co-starring role at the age of eight in Miracle on 34th Street. She became a teenage star after her performance as Judy in Rebel Without a Cause, opposite James Dean, for which she received an Oscar nomination.
She went on to star in classic films such as The Searchers, West Side Story, Splendor in the Grass, Gypsy, Love with the Proper Stranger, and Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. She received three Oscar nominations and four Golden Globe awards for her work. She also appeared in several TV productions, such as From Here to Eternity, for which she won a Golden Globe.
Wood was married three times: twice to actor Robert Wagner, from 1957 to 1962 and from 1972 until her death; and once to producer Richard Gregson, from 1969 to 1972. She had two daughters: Natasha Gregson Wagner with Gregson; and Courtney Brooke Wagner with Wagner.
Wood died tragically on November 29, 1981, at the age of 43. She drowned in the Pacific Ocean near Santa Catalina Island during a boat trip with Wagner and actor Christopher Walken. Her death was initially ruled as an accident, but was later changed to “drowning and other undetermined factors” after new evidence emerged. Wagner was named as a person of interest in the ongoing investigation into her death in 2018.
The answer is no. Evan Rachel Wood and Natalie Wood are not related by blood or by name. They share no familial connection or ancestry. Their last names are coincidental: Wood is a common surname in English-speaking countries; Evan Rachel Wood’s father adopted it from his stepfather; Natalie Wood’s parents changed it from Zacharenko when they became U.S. citizens.
However, Evan Rachel Wood has expressed admiration for Natalie Wood’s career and legacy. In an interview with The Guardian, she said: “I love Natalie Wood – I think she’s amazing – but I’m not related to her.” She also revealed that she auditioned for the role of Maria in Steven Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story, which was originally played by Natalie Wood.
So there you have it: Evan Rachel Wood and Natalie Wood are not related, but they are both talented and successful actresses who have left their mark on Hollywood history.
