Natalie Morales (journalist)
A versatile and trusted broadcast journalist who navigated morning show warmth and hard news gravity during a long tenure at the heart of NBC.
Born 1972 (age 54)·American journalist·Birthday: June 6·Generation X
Biography
Natalie Morales built a reputation as a steady, adaptable presence in American broadcast journalism, capable of shifting from the cheerful chaos of the 'Today' show couch to the solemn tone of a 'Dateline' investigation. After starting in local news, her big break came at MSNBC, which led to a 22-year run with NBC News. She became a fixture for millions as the West Coast anchor of 'Today,' bringing energy to the program's later hours. But her skills extended far beyond morning television; she reported from disaster zones, conducted high-profile interviews, and served as a national correspondent. This range was showcased when she moved to CBS to co-host 'The Talk,' demonstrating an ease with both substantive conversation and daytime television's connective format.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Natalie was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Natalie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Natalie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the West Coast anchor of NBC's 'Today' show, a key role on America's highest-profile morning news program.
- Reported as a national correspondent for 'Dateline NBC,' contributing to long-form investigative and feature stories.
- Anchored coverage for major events including the Olympics and presidential inaugurations during her tenure at NBC.
- Co-hosted the CBS daytime talk show 'The Talk,' expanding her role in broadcast television.
Did You Know?
She is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish, skills she used in her reporting.
Morales was a standout high school athlete in volleyball and track and field.
She served in the United States Air Force Reserve while attending Rutgers University.
Her first major TV job was as a production assistant for 'The Jerry Springer Show.'
“The story is never about you; it's about the people you're giving a voice to.”
