Natalie West(I)

Veteran stage actress Natalie West began her acting career in the early 1980s with performances in several plays in theaters throughout Chicago. West's talent caught the interest of a television writer who encouraged her to tape a reading for the part of Crystal, the quirky and tenderhearted family-friend in the American sitcom Roseanne (1988); West thought little of this but eventually auditioned for the role and won the part. Although a regular in the series, the character's presence dwindled as the series evolved. West primarily focused on theater and later appeared in a leading role in Nate & Margaret (2012), playing Margaret, an aging spinster in a perfectly functioning friendship with Nate, a 19-year-old film student determined to make it in the movie business. West's performance earned a FilmOut Audience Award for Best Actress.