Natalie Wood Photographed By Phil Stern On Set Of “This Property Is Condemned,” 1966.

Dominick, I really owe you an apology, you know? I really do. All this time, I’ve been blaming you for everything. You ruining my life and all that. Well, that’s over now. You know why I’ve never been able to leave home? I just suddenly figured it out. Very complicated. I was scared. And I’m not scared anymore. I’m terrified. Funny?

NATALIE WOOD as Angie Rossini in Love with the Perfect Stranger (1963) dir. Robert Mulligan

Natalie Wood with her sister Lana, 1960s. Photo taken by Peter Basch

Natalie Wood / photo by Sam Shaw, New York City, 1961.

“She had a great sense of humor. Her humor was cute, really cute. There was nothing stuck-up about Natalie. She never had the attitude of a movie star—and I have seen some mean divas. I was spoiled by Natalie. Like I said, she was my first star. I thought all the rest of the stars would be like that, but they never were. They never were. . . .”

Photographer Michael Childers on Natalie Wood.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947) dir. George Seaton.

Natalie said her favorite scene in Rebel Without a Cause was one she shared with James Dean that was cut from the film.

“It was in the car. I was waiting for him and he comes up and we talk to each other. There was a section of the scene where I imply that I’ve sort of been around, that I’m not really pure.

I say to him, ‘Do you think that’s bad?’ And he says ‘No, I just think it’s lonely. It’s the loneliest time.’

I thought it was a wonderful line—right on the cutting room floor.”

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Natalie Wood and James Dean eat at a hot dog stand during a break in filming “Rebel Without a Cause,” 1955.

NATALIE WOOD and RICHARD BEYMER in WEST SIDE STORY (1961) l love him, l’m his - tomorrow and all of my life.

Natalie Wood eating Chinese food, Ralph Crane, 1957.

Natalie Wood photographed by Sam Shaw in New York City, 1961.