Natalia's father is a physician, who in his free time spearheads an organization called "For the Sake of Humanity," promoting cultural diversity, and her mother is an artist and Spanish teacher. Natalia says that they instilled in her an appreciation for all people and a love for life. The Georgia native remains unaffected by her Hollywood success.

Although she started acting in high school, Natalia always knew she wanted to be an actress. While obtaining her degree in Sociology from Emory University, she took every acting class the university offered and starred in several student films. After an internship in social work after graduation, Natalia took the giant step of moving to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of acting. She was "discovered" while working at a Home Depot in Hollywood. Fluent in Spanish, she quickly landed five McDonalds commercials in Spanish. She continued to study her craft and starred in four plays in Los Angeles. Natalia also studied dance for twelve years.