Why Natalie Wood Ended Her Relationship With Elvis Thanks To His Mother
Being introduced to your partner’s parents is always nerve-wracking. But Natalie Wood’s experience meeting Elvis’ mom was on another level. In fact, she was so disturbed by what she saw between The King and his mother, Gladys, that she knew she had to get the heck outta there. And she used the good old trick of a fake emergency call to do it.
Family ties
It wasn’t exactly a secret that Elvis was close to his momma. Gladys was regularly referenced in articles written during the star’s rapid rise to rock and roll fame. “Doesn’t everybody love their parents?” Elvis once responded after being quizzed by the press about his family.
Crazed fan
Elvis even put his mom on camera in the 1957 musical Loving You. During the scene where Elvis performs the track “Got a Lot o’ Livin’ to Do,” you can see Gladys acting like a crazed fan in the audience.
Escape plan
Wood probably wished she’d been more aware of this strangely close bond before getting to the meet-the-parents stage. But, luckily, she managed to arrange a get-out clause in the shape of a phone call from her own mother. And in the end, it was just six simple words that made up her mind.
Destined for greatness
Why were Elvis and his mom so devoted to each other? It probably had something to do with the death of Elvis’ twin brother at birth. Gladys believed that if one twin passed away, the other would inherit all their positive traits. And her faith in Elvis only strengthened when he nearly died from severe tonsillitis. His mother, who had constantly prayed by her son’s bedside during the scare, felt that his survival was a sign from God. Fate was smiling on him, and greatness was nothing less than his destiny.
