Who is Natalie Morales?
An American journalist and TV host, who is currently working as a co-host and moderator of the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) daytime talk show “The Talk”, Natalie Leticia Morales-Rhodes was born under the zodiac sign of Gemini on 6 June 1972, in Taipei, Taiwan, but comes from a family of Brazilian and Puerto Rican descent, and holds American nationality. Natalie is perhaps known best for her work as a co-anchor and national correspondent for the US National Broadcasting Company (NBC) news and talk television show “Today”.
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Early life, family and education
Natalie spent her childhood in the US, and overseas in Panama, Brazil and Spain, since her father, Lieutenant Colonel Mario Morales Junior was serving in the US Air Force. Her mother is Penelope Leticia Morales, about whom little is known, except that she is from Brazil, and had a tough childhood. Natalie spoke about her in one of her interviews, saying that she is a brave woman, who raised her and her two siblings while moving from place to place, being their only constant. Eventually the family settled in Camden, Delaware, USA, where Natalie attended Caesar Rodney High School, and upon matriculating in 1990, she enrolled at Rutgers University, New Jersey, from which she graduated summa cum laude in 1994, with a Bachelor’s degree in Arts with dual majors in Journalism & Media Studies and Latin American studies.
Natalie is fluent in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
Career
After graduating, Natalie moved to New York City where she worked at Chase Bank, prior to launching her career as a journalist for News 12-The Bronx in the late ‘90s. She was the first morning anchor, but also an editor, producer and camera operator for that network. In 2000, Natalie became a weekend anchor and morning co-anchor at WVIT-TV in Hartford, Connecticut, and then from 2002 until 2006, she worked as an anchor and correspondent for MSNBC, a news-based pay television cable channel in New York City.
In 2006, she joined the show “Today” as a national correspondent, and in March 2008, Natalie was named a co-anchor of the third hour of the show. Three years later, Natalie replaced Ann Curry as the news anchor for “Today”, and then it was announced that she would be moving west in 2016 to host “Access”, and become the West Coast anchor of “Today”, but eventually she stepped away from hosting “Access”, and remained on “Today” until October 2021. Natalie then joined the CBS’ talk show “The Talk” as a permanent co-host and moderator, alongside Amanda Kloots, Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, Sheryl Underwood and Jerry O’Connell.
The show was developed by actress and TV host, Sara Gilbert, and although the original concept theme focused on motherhood, over time evolved into the talk show in which the hosts discus the latest headlines, human-interest stories, and current events.
Why did she leave NBC?
After it was announced that Natalie was leaving NBC, most of her fans wanted to know the reason for that. Natalie said in her farewell: ‘Dear viewers … From the minute I stepped in front of the camera and into your living rooms, I knew it was an honor to be part of your morning tradition, the most sacred time’, then saying that she had an ‘extraordinary opportunity’ and just couldn’t refuse it.
In her interview for People magazine, she said that she needed change in her life, that she had ‘zero hesitation’ saying yes to the new gig, adding that it was like a dream come true. So, the only thing her fans could do was wish her luck with the new job.
Love life and marriage
Natalie hasn’t been the subject of any rumors and controversies concerning her love life, and it’s well-known that she is a married woman. Her husband is Joseph ‘Joe’ Rhodes, the founder and contemporary managing partner at Stockton Road Capital LLC.
The two married in 1998, but Natalie hasn’t shared the wedding date, nor how long they were dating before they married, since she prefers to keep her private life away from the media’s attention. However, being a celebrity sometime means that you can’t hide from the public eye, thus it is known that Natalie and Joe have two sons together – Josh Stockon Rhodes was born in 2004, and the younger Luke Hudson Rhodes in 2008. Natalie once spoke that she’d miscarried, and that it was one of the hardest periods in her life.
As of May 2022, Natalie with her family now lives in their over $6 million valued mansion in Brentwood, California, to where they moved from Hoboken, New Jersey.
Age and vital statistic
Natalie’s age is 49, and has long, brown hair and hazel eyes. In 2003, she was named one of Hispanic Magazine’s Top Trendsetters, and in October 2010, she was featured in a full-length article and on the cover of the Triathlete Magazine, because of her participation in the sport. She is also an avid runner, and has competed in five marathons, including three New York City Marathons, in 1995, ’96, and 2006. Natalie weighs about 130lbs (58kgs) and is 5ft 4ins (1.64m) tall, with vital statistics of 34-25-35.
Salary and net worth
According to sources, during her work for NBC’s show “Today”, Natalie’s annual salary was around $6 million. In 2002, Natalie and her husband bought a $1 million valued house in Hoboken, New Jersey, then in 2008 expanded it to 3,600 square feet; when Natalie was promoted to the West Coast anchor of “Today”, they put the house on the market and it was sold for $3.1 million. The former NBC anchor has accumulated a significant net worth estimated at $18 million, and although her salary for CBS has not been publicly disclosed, there is some speculation saying that she will be paid around $8 million per year.
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