Natalie Wood’s Daughter Remembers Late Mom And ‘Eternally Youthful’ Actress 43 Years Later

Natasha Gregson Wagner was only 11 when she lost her mother, Natalie Wood, in 1981. The late actress died by drowning off the coast of Catalina Island, although further investigations speculate murder. 43 years later, Wagner is remembering Natalie for her lasting youthfulness and legacy.

The 54-year-old acknowledged that her mother has remained relevant decades after her passing, adding that people come up to her in public to gush about Natalie. Wagner found the courage to address her loss about 15 years ago.

Meet Natalie Wood’s daughter

Wagner is the first of Natalie’s two children and has followed in her mother’s path in show business, starring in films like High Fidelity and Lost Highway. She is a mother of one and has a husband of ten years, who is also an actor. Wagner revealed that she is intentional about teaching her daughter, Clover, about “grandma Natalie,” adding that it helps turn her pain into something positive.

Aside from acting, Wagner is also a producer and the one behind 2020’s Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind documentary. She is also an author, having released her memoir More Than Love in 2020. The book centers around her relationship with Natalie and life without her.

Tributes to Natalie Wood

Much of Wagner’s endeavors are inspired by Natalie, including her fragrance line Natalie, which is a tribute to the deceased’s favorite scent, Jungle Gardenia. Her other release, La Rose, was also a nod to Natalie’s love for roses, which she planted in her home growing up.

Wagner believes Natalie has changed even more lives in death, as her movies like Rebel Without a Cause, Splendor in the Grass, West Side Story, and Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice have remained classics. She acknowledged her aging father, Robert Wagner, who raised her and her sister Courtney. Though not as famous as his late wife, Robert was known for ‘50s movies like Titanic and Beneath the 12-Mile Reef.