Naomi Ellen Watts (born 28 September 1968) is a British actress.[1] After her family moved to Australia, she made her film debut there in the dramaFor Love Alone (1986). She appeared in three television series,Hey Dad..! (1990),Brides of Christ (1991), andHome and Away (1991), and the filmFlirting (1991). Ten years later, Watts moved to the United States, where she initially struggled as an actress. She took roles in small-scale films until she starred in her breakthrough role as an aspiring actress inDavid Lynch's mystery film,Mulholland Drive, in 2001.
Watts is particularly known for her work in remakes and independent productions with dark or tragic themes, as well as for portrayals of characters who endure loss or suffering.[2] Magazines such asPeople andMaxim have included her on their lists of the world's most beautiful women. She has served as an ambassador for theJoint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS andPantene'sBeautiful Lengths. From 2005 to 2016, she was in a relationship with American actorLiev Schreiber, with whom she has two children. In June 2023, she married American actorBilly Crudup.[3]
Early life and education
Naomi Ellen Watts was born on 28 September 1968, inShoreham, Kent, England.[4][5] She is the daughter of Myfanwy (Miv) Edwards (née Roberts), an antiques dealer andcostume andset designer,[4] andPeter Watts (1946–1976), aroad manager andaudio engineer who worked withPink Floyd.[6][7] Watts's maternal grandfather was Welsh.[8][9] Watts's parents divorced when she was four years old.[7][10] After the divorce, their mother moved several times with Watts and her older brotherBen withinSouth East England.[11] Their father Peter Watts left Pink Floyd in 1974 and remarried in 1976. In August 1976, when Watts was nearly eight years old, he was found dead in a flat inNotting Hill, London, of an apparent heroin overdose.[12][13] Following his death, Watts's mother moved the family to Llanfawr Farm inLlangefni andLlanfairpwllgwyngyll, towns on the island ofAnglesey inNorth Wales, to live with her parents, Nikki and Hugh Roberts.[14][15] During this period of three years, Watts attended aWelsh medium school,Ysgol Gyfun Llangefni.[12]
She later said of her time in Wales: "We took Welsh lessons in a school in the middle of nowhere while everyone else was taking English. Wherever we moved, I would adapt and pick up the regional accent. It's obviously significant now, me being an actress. Anyway, there was quite a lot of sadness in my childhood, but no lack of love."[16] In 1978, her mother remarried[17] and moved with her children toSuffolk. (She and her second husband later divorced.)[17] There Watts attendedThomas Mills High School.[11] Watts has said that she wanted to become an actress after seeing her mother performing on stage and from the time she watched the 1980 filmFame.[7][18] In 1982, when Watts was 14, the family moved toSydney, Australia.[7][19] Her mother Myfanwy established a career in the burgeoning film business, first working as a stylist for television commercials. She turned to costume design, and worked for the soap operaReturn to Eden. Watts briefly cameoed as a model in two episodes.[12] Watts was enrolled by her mother in acting lessons in Sydney. She auditioned for numerous television advertisements, where she met and befriended the young actressNicole Kidman.[12] In Australia, Watts attendedMosman High School andNorth Sydney Girls High School.[20] She did not graduate from school. After leaving school she worked as a papergirl, anegative cutter, and managed a Delicacies store in Sydney's affluentNorth Shore.[12]
At the age of 18, Watts decided to become a model. She signed with a models agency that sent her to Japan, but after several failed auditions, she returned to Sydney.[7] She began to work in advertising for a department store.Follow Me magazine hired her as an assistant fashion editor.[7][12] A casual invitation to participate in a drama workshop inspired Watts to quit her job and pursue acting.[12][21] Despite her years in Australia, Watts considers herself firmly British in regards to her nationality. She has said that: "I consider myself British and have very happy memories of the UK. I spent the first 14 years of my life in England and Wales and never wanted to leave. When I was in Australia I went back to England a lot."[22]
Career
Early roles and struggling career (1986–2000)
Watts's career began in television, where she made brief appearances in commercials.[19] She made her film debut inFor Love Alone (1986). It was set in the 1930s and based onChristina Stead's 1945 best-selling novel of the same name.[23] In 1990 she appeared in two episodes of thefourth season of the Australian sitcomHey Dad..!. At the 1989 premiere of her friend Nicole Kidman's filmDead Calm, Watts metJohn Duigan, who invited her to take a supporting role in his 1991 indie filmFlirting.[19][24] The film received critical acclaim and was featured on American criticRoger Ebert's list of the 10 best films of 1992.[25] Also in 1991, she took the part of Frances Heffernan, a girl who struggles to find friends at a Catholic school in Sydney,[26] in the mini-seriesBrides of Christ.[27] She also had a recurring role in the soap operaHome and Away as the handicappedJulie Gibson.[28] Watts was offered a role in the drama seriesA Country Practice but turned it down, not wanting to "get stuck on a soap for two or three years". She later said that decision was "naïve".[19][21]
Watts took a year off to travel, visiting Los Angeles and being introduced to agents through Kidman.[11][12] Encouraged, Watts decided to move to the United States, to pursue her career further. In 1993, she had a small role in theJohn Goodman filmMatinee. She returned to Australia temporarily to star in three Australian films: another of Duigan's pictures,Wide Sargasso Sea; and the dramaThe Custodian. She had her first leading role in the filmGross Misconduct, as a student who accuses one of her teachers (played byJimmy Smits) of raping her.[19] Watts returned to Los Angeles and the US for good but had difficulty finding agents, producers and directors willing to hire her.[12] She never worked outside the film industry, but had some tight times in which she was unable to pay the rent on time and lost her medical insurance.[12][29]
At first, everything was fantastic and doors were opened to me. But some people who I met through Nicole [Kidman], who had been all over me, had difficulty remembering my name when we next met. There were a lot of promises, but nothing actually came off. I ran out of money and became quite lonely, but Nic gave me company and encouragement to carry on.[30]
When I came to America there was so much promise of good stuff and I thought, I've got it made here. I'm going to kick ass. Then I went back to Australia and did one or two more jobs. When I returned toHollywood, all those people who'd been so encouraging before weren't interested. You take all their flattery seriously when you don't know any better. I basically had to start all over again. I get offered some things without auditioning today, but back then they wouldn't even fax me the pages of a script because it was too much of an inconvenience. I had to drive for hours intothe Valley to pick up three bits of paper for some horrendous piece of shit, then go back the next day and line up for two hours to meet the casting director who would barely give me eye contact. It was humiliating. –Watts on her early struggles[21]
After nine auditions, she won a supporting role of "Jet Girl" in the futuristic filmTank Girl (1995).[7] The film met mixed reviews and flopped at the box office. It has since become something of a cult classic.[31] Throughout the rest of the decade, Watts took mostly supporting roles in films.[32] Occasionally she considered leaving the business, but: "there were always little bites. Whenever I felt I was at the end of my rope, something would come up. Something bad. But for me it was 'work begets work'; that was my motto."[11][29] In 1996, she starred alongsideJoe Mantegna,Kelly Lynch andJ. T. Walsh inGeorge Hickenlooper's action-thrillerPersons Unknown; alongsideJames Earl Jones,Kevin Kilner andEllen Burstyn in the period dramaTimepiece; inBermuda Triangle, a TV pilot that was not picked up for a full series, where she played a former documentary filmmaker who disappears in theBermuda Triangle;[33] She had the lead role inChildren of the Corn IV: The Gathering, in which children in a small town become possessed under the command of a wrongfully murderedchild preacher.[7]
In 1997, she starred in the Australian ensemble romantic dramaUnder the Lighthouse Dancing starringJack Thompson andJacqueline McKenzie. She also played the lead role in the short-lived television seriesSleepwalkers.[12] In 1998, she starred alongsideNeil Patrick Harris andDebbie Reynolds in the TV filmThe Christmas Wish, played the supporting role of Giulia De Lezze inDangerous Beauty,[19] and provided some voice work forBabe: Pig in the City.[12] She said in an interview in 2012, "That really should not be on my résumé! I think that was early on in the day, when I was trying to beef up my résumé. I came in and did a couple days' work of voiceovers and we had to suck on [helium] and then do a little mouse voice. But I was one in a hundred, so I'm sure you would never be able to identify my voice. I probably couldn't either!"[34]
In 2002 Watts recalled her early career in an interview. She had lost a role she wanted in "Meet the Parents" in 2000. She said, "It is a tough town. I think my spirit has taken a beating. The most painful thing has been the endless auditions. Knowing that you have something to offer, but not being able to show it, is so frustrating. As an unknown, you get treated badly. I auditioned and waited for things I did not have any belief in, but I needed the work and had to accept horrendous pieces of shit."[30] Watts studied theMeisner Technique. She referred to this again in a 2012 interview. Watts said, "I came to New York and auditioned at least five times forMeet the Parents. I think the director liked me but the studio didn't. I heard every piece of feedback you could imagine, and in this case, it was 'not sexy enough'."[38]
In 1999, directorDavid Lynch began casting for his psychological thrillerMulholland Drive. He interviewed Watts after looking at her headshot,[38] without having seen any of her previous work,[39] and offered her the lead role.[38] Lynch later said about his selection of Watts, "I saw someone that I felt had a tremendous talent, and I saw someone who had a beautiful soul, an intelligence—possibilities for a lot of different roles, so it was a beautiful full package."[40] Conceived as a pilot for a television series, Lynch shot a large portion of the film in February 1999, planning to keep it open-ended for a potential series. However, the pilot was rejected. Watts recalled thinking at the time, "just my dumb luck, that I'm in the only David Lynch programme that never sees the light of day."[11] Lynch filmed an ending for the work in October 2000, turning it into a feature film, which was picked up for distribution.Mulholland Drive, also starringLaura Harring andJustin Theroux, premiered at the 2001Cannes Film Festival to high critical acclaim and marked Watts's breakthrough. Reviewing her performance, Peter Bradshaw ofThe Guardian stated that "Watts's face metamorphoses miraculously from fresh-faced beauty to a frenzied, teary scowl of ugliness.";[41]Emanuel Levy wrote, "... Watts, in a brilliant performance, a young, wide-eyed and grotesquely cheerful blonde, full of high hopes to make it big in Hollywood."[42] The film and Watts received numerous awards and nominations, including theNational Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress and a nomination for theAmerican Film Institute Award for Best Actress.[43] The surrealist film explored the story of aspiring actress Betty Elms, played by Watts. It sparked controversy over its strong lesbian theme.[44][45]
Also in 2001, Watts starred in two short films,Never Date an Actress andEllie Parker, and the horror filmThe Shaft, directorDick Maas's remake of his 1983 filmDe Lift.[12] In 2002, she starred in one of the biggest box office hits of that year,[12]The Ring, the English-language remake of theJapanese horror filmRing. Directed byGore Verbinski, the film, which also starredMartin Henderson andBrian Cox, received favourable reviews and grossed around US$129 million domestically (equivalent to US$225.5 million in 2025).[46] Watts portrayedRachel Keller, a journalist investigating the strange deaths of her niece and other teenagers after they watched a mysterious videotape and received a phone call announcing their deaths in seven days.[47] Her performance was praised by critics, including Paul Clinton ofCNN.com, who said that she "is excellent in this leading role, which proves that her stellar performance inMulholland Drive was not a fluke. She strikes a perfect balance between skepticism and the slow realisation of the truth in regard to the deadly power of the videotape."[48] In the same year, she also starred inRabbits, a series of short films directed by David Lynch; alongside several other famous British actors in the black comedyPlots with a View; and withTim Daly inThe Outsider, a western.
Established actress (2003–2007)
In 2003, Watts took the part of Julia Cook inGregor Jordan's Australian filmNed Kelly, oppositeHeath Ledger,Orlando Bloom andGeoffrey Rush.[49] She also starred in theMerchant-Ivory filmLe Divorce. She portrayed Roxeanne de Persand, a poet who is pregnant and abandoned by her husband Charles-Henri de Persand. Roxeanne and her sister Isabel (played byKate Hudson) dispute the ownership of a painting byGeorges de La Tour with the family of Charles-Henri's lover.Entertainment Weekly gave the film a "C" rating and lamented Watts's performance: "I'm disappointed to report that Hudson and Watts have no chemistry as sisters, perhaps because Watts never seems like the expatriate artiste she's supposed to be playing".[50]
Her performance oppositeSean Penn andBenicio del Toro inAlejandro González Iñárritu's psychological drama21 Grams (2003) earned Watts numerous award nominations, including her first nominations for theAcademy Award for Best Actress, theBAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role and theScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role.[51] In the story, told in a non-linear manner, she portrayed Cristina Peck, a grief-stricken widow living a suburban life after her husband and two children were killed by Jack Jordan (Benicio del Toro). She became involved in a relationship with Paul Rivers (Sean Penn), an academic mathematician who was critically ill. She has said of the nomination, "It's far beyond what I ever dreamed for – that would have been too far fetched".[52][53]The New York Times praised her: "Because Ms. Watts reinvents herself with each performance, it's easy to forget how brilliant she is. She has a boldness that comes from a lack of overemphasis, something actresses sometimes do to keep up with Mr. Penn".[54] TheSan Francisco Chronicle wrote: "Watts is riveting, but she's much better in scenes of extreme emotion than in those requiring subtlety."[55]
Watts in Sydney in 2012
In 2004, Watts starred alongsideMark Ruffalo in the independent filmWe Don't Live Here Anymore,[12] based on short stories byAndre Dubus. It explores the crises of two married couples who are friends and struggling in their lives.[56] She reunited with Sean Penn inThe Assassination of Richard Nixon, playing the wife of the would-be presidential assassinSamuel Byck (Penn).[57] She teamed up withJude Law andDustin Hoffman inDavid O. Russell's ensemble comedyI Heart Huckabees.[58] She headlined and produced the semi-autobiographical dramaEllie Parker (2005), which depicted the struggle of an Australian actress in Hollywood.[59] The film began as a short film that was screened at theSundance Film Festival in 2001. Over the next four years, it was expanded into a feature-length production. Film criticRoger Ebert praised Watts's performance: "The character is played by Watts with courage, fearless observation and a gift for timing that is so uncanny it can make points all by itself."[60]
Watts starred in the sequel toThe Ring,The Ring Two (2005), which despite a negative critical response,[61] made more than US$161 million worldwide gross (equivalent to US$259.2 million in 2025).[62] In 2005, Watts also headlined theremake ofKing Kong as Ann Darrow. She was the first choice for the role, portrayed byFay Wray in the original film, and no other actors were considered.[63] In preparation for her role, Watts met with Wray,[64] who was to make a cameo appearance and say the final line of dialogue. Wray died at the age of 96 during pre-production.[65]King Kong proved to be Watts's most commercially successful film yet. Helmed by directorPeter Jackson, who had madeThe Lord of the Rings, the film won high praise and grossed US$550 million worldwide (equivalent to US$885.5 million in 2025).[66][67] TheSeattle Post-Intelligencer praised Watts's performance: "The third act becomes a star-crossed, "Beauty and the Beast" parable far more operatic and tragic than anything the original filmmakers could have imagined, exquisitely pantomimed by Watts with a poignancy and passion that rates Oscar consideration."[68] Watts reprised her role as Darrow in thevideo game adaptation ofKing Kong,[69] for which her voice performance garnered her significant praise. She was nominated for aSpike Video Game Award for Best Performance by a Female. Watts and the game's other cast members also won an award for Best Cast.[70][71][72][73] Her other 2005 film release wasMarc Forster's psychological thrillerStay, alongsideEwan McGregor,Ryan Gosling andBob Hoskins.[12]
At this point in her career, Watts said the following:
You'd better know why you're here as an actor ... I'm here to work out my shit, what my problems are and know who I am, so by cracking open these characters perhaps that shines a light on it a little bit better ... I know myself. I mean, of course I know myself better but the journey and search continue because hopefully we're evolving and growing all the time.[74]
In the romantic dramaThe Painted Veil (2006), based on the novel of the same name by Somerset Maugham, Watts played the daughter of a lawyer and his wife. She is under pressure to marry and chooses a physician (Edward Norton) known as abacteriologist.[75] She is not prepared when her husband goes to Hong Kong, then a British colony, for work and then forces her to mainland China to a region suffering a cholera epidemic. Comparing her portrayal withGreta Garbo's in the original movie adapted from the same novel, theSan Francisco Chronicle wrote, "Watts makes the role work on her own terms–her Kitty is more desperate, more foolish, more miserable and more driven... and her spiritual journey is greater.[76] Watts also provided the voice of a small role, Suzie Rabbit, in David Lynch'spsychological thrillerInland Empire.[77] In the same year, she was announced as the new face of the jewelersDavid Yurman and completed a photoshoot that was featured in the 2007Pirelli Calendar.[18]
InDavid Cronenberg'sEastern Promises (2007), Watts portrays a Russian-British midwife, oppositeViggo Mortensen. She delivers the baby of a drug-addicted 14-year old prostitute.[78] In its review,Slate magazine observed that she "brings a wounded radiance to the overcurious midwife Anna. Though it's a bit of a one-note role, it's a note she's long specialised in, a kind of flustered moral aggrievement".[79]Eastern Promises grossed US$56 million worldwide, (equivalent to US$90.2 million in 2025).[80][81] Also that year she was a producer and starred inMichael Haneke'sFunny Games (2007). She played a mother who, with her family, is held hostage by a pair of sociopathic teenagers. It was a remake ofHaneke's 1997 film of the same name.[82] According to the UK'sThe Daily Telegraph, the director said that he agreed to make the film on condition that he be allowed to cast Watts.[83][84][85] The film was largely unnoticed by critics and audiences.[86][87]Newsweek said that Watts "hurls herself into her physically demanding role with heroic conviction".[88]
Biographical and independent films (2009–2014)
After a short hiatus from acting following the birth of her two children, Watts returned to acting in 2009, starring alongsideClive Owen in the political action thrillerThe International, in which she played aManhattan assistant district attorney who partners with anInterpol agent to take down amerchant bank.[89] The production was a moderate commercial success,[90] grossing over US$60 million (equivalent to $87.9 million in 2025) worldwide.[91] She next appeared in the dramaMother and Child,[92] portraying the role of a lawyer who never knew her biological mother.[93]ViewLondon found her to be "terrific as [her character], delivering a powerful performance that [...] isn't afraid to be unsympathetic".[94] She was nominated for theBest Actress award at theAustralian Film Institute Awards[95] and for theIndependent Spirit Award forBest Supporting Female.[96]
Watts starred inThe Impossible (2012), a disaster drama based on the true story ofMaría Belón and her family's experience of the2004 Indian Ocean tsunami; she played the lead role, with her name changed to Maria Bennett. The film was a critical darling, had the highest-grossing opening weekend for a film in Spain,[110] and made US$180.2 million (equivalent to $246.5 million in 2025) globally.[111] Deborah Young ofThe Hollywood Reporter stated that "Watts packs a huge charge of emotion as the battered, ever-weakening Maria whose tears of pain and fear never appear fake or idealised,"[112] while Justin Chang ofVariety magazine remarked that she "has few equals at conveying physical and emotional extremis, something she again demonstrates in a mostly bedridden role."[113] Damon Wise ofThe Guardian felt that "Watts is both brave and vulnerable, and her scenes with the young Lucas [...] are among the film's best."[114] Watts earned nominations for theGolden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama and theScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, in addition to her second nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress.[115]
InAdore (2013), Watts starred withRobin Wright as two childhood friends who fall in love with each other's sons. On the film, critics concluded that Watts and Wright "give it their all, but they can't quite makeAdore's trashy, absurd plot believable".[116] She obtained theFCCA Award for Best Actress in 2014 for her role. The anthology comedyMovie 43 (2013) featured Watts as a devoted mother, alongside Liev Schreiber.[117]Movie 43 was universally panned by critics, withRichard Roeper calling it "theCitizen Kane of awful".[118]
InLaurie Collyer's independent dramaSunlight Jr. (2013), Watts starred withMatt Dillon as a struggling working-class couple.[119][120][121] TheSan Francisco Chronicle, praising Watts and Dillon, wrote in its review for the film that they are "formidable actors at the top of their game here [...] exhibiting a remarkable chemistry".[122] Watts portrayed the title role inOliver Hirschbiegel'sDiana (her final film released in 2013),[115] a biographical drama about the last two years of the life ofDiana, Princess of Wales. Released amid much controversy given its subject, the film was a critical flop.[123][124]James Berardinelli found the film to be a "dull, pointless" production and remarked that while Watts did a "decent job encapsulating the look and feel of Diana", her portrayal was "a two-dimensional recreation".[125]
Watts starred inGus Van Sant's mystery dramaThe Sea of Trees, oppositeMatthew McConaughey, as the wife of an American man who attempts suicide inMount Fuji's "Suicide Forest". The film premiered at the2015 Cannes Film Festival where it competed for thePalme d'Or, but was heavily panned by both critics and audiences, who reportedly booed and laughed during its screening.[143][144] Critic Richard Mowe stated the audience reaction should "give the film's creative team pause for reflection about exactly where they went so badly awry."[145] Justin Chang ofVariety also criticised the film, but commended Watts's performance for being "solidly moving and sometimes awesomely passive-aggressive."[146]The Sea of Trees did not find an audience in theaters.[147]
LikeSt. Vincent andWhile We're Young the previous year, Watts starred in two films—Demolition andThree Generations— which screened at theToronto International Film Festival, in 2015. InDemolition, directed byJean-Marc Vallée and oppositeJake Gyllenhaal, Watts played a customer service representative and the interest of a grievinginvestment banker (Gyllenhaal).[148][149]The Wrap felt that she "empathetically captures [her] harried single mom" role as she played "both the wit and the sadness with grace".[150] InThree Generations, directed byGaby Dellal, she appeared withSusan Sarandon andElle Fanning as the mother of a young transgender man (Fanning). Pulled from the schedule days before its intended initial release,[151] the film subsequently opened on selected theatres in May 2017.[152]
Watts played Linda, the second wife of heavyweight boxerChuck Wepner (played by Liev Schreiber) in the biographical sport dramaThe Bleeder (2016), revolving around the life of Wepner and his 1975 fight withMuhammad Ali.Variety wrote in its review: "Slightly out of place as the feisty bartender who gives Wepner a second chance at his downest and outest, a spirited Naomi Watts nonetheless gives proceedings her bestAmy Adams inThe Fighter."[153] She headlined the thrillerShut In (also 2016), playing a psychologist isolated with her child in a rural house during a winter storm. The film received largely negative reviews and made US$8 million worldwide.[154][155][156]
Watts in 2017
Watts appeared inTwin Peaks, a limited event television series and a continuation of the1990 show of the same name. It was broadcast onShowtime in 2017, to critical acclaim.[157] Watts starred as "a therapist who begins to develop dangerous and intimate relationships with the people in her patients' lives" in theNetflix drama seriesGypsy (also 2017), and served as one of its executive producers.[158][159] While response was mixed,Gypsy was cancelled by Netflix after one season.[160] InThe Book of Henry (2017), Watts portrayed the mother of young genius who plans save the girl next door from abuse. The film polarized critics and audiences, butRolling Stone described her as "a plus in any movie" and found her to be "excellent" in the role.[161] In her other 2017 film,The Glass Castle oppositeBrie Larson, andWoody Harrelson. An adaptation ofJeannette Walls's best selling memoir of the same name, Watts played the nonconformist mother of the author.[162]
Watts received an endorsement deal withDavid Yurman jewelry.[167][168] She served as the ambassador toThierry Mugler'sAngel fragrance from 2008[169] until 2011 whenEva Mendes overtook the role.[170] The pair later coincidentally fronted a campaign forPantene hair care products.[171] Watts also appeared in a campaign forAnn Taylor in 2010.[172] She was announced as a new 'face' ofL'Oréal in 2014.[173] Watts also founded the skincare company Onda Beauty in 2016[174] and appeared in a campaign forFendi in 2020.[175][176]
In January 2021, it was announced that Watts was an early investor inThirteen Lune, an e-commerce site focused on makeup, skincare, haircare and wellness products owned by people of color and ally brands.[177] In October 2022, Watts launched Stripes, a beauty and wellness brand focused onmenopause health.[178] The brand was acquired byL Catterton in June 2024.[179] In October 2024, Watts was announced as an ambassador and designer for Coyuchi linen.[180]
Watts released her first book,Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I'd Known About Menopause, on January 21, 2025.[181][182][183]
Philanthropy
In 2006, Watts became a goodwill ambassador forJoint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, which helps raise awareness of issues relating to the disease. She has used her high profile and celebrity to bring attention to the needs of people living with this disease.[184] Watts has featured in campaigns for fundraising, events and activities, including the 21st Annual AIDS Walk.[185] On 1 December 2009, Watts metUnited Nations Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon at a public event commemorating World AIDS Day 2009.[186]
In 2011, Watts attended a charity polo match in New York City along with Australian actorsHugh Jackman andIsla Fisher, which was intended to raise money to help victims of the2010 Haiti earthquake.[187] In 2012, she became an ambassador forPantene's Beautiful Lengths, a programme that donates real-hair wigs to women with cancer. She has visited theSt Vincent's Hospital in Sydney to meet some of the women the programme helps.[188]
In 2016, Watts collaborated withSportscraft and children's charityBarnardos to produce a range of namesake coats, with a percentage of sales going to the charity,[189] and was one of the public figures photographed by Italian photographer Fabrizio Ferri forBulgari's digital campaign "Raise Your Hand".[190] In November 2018, she hosted the Worldwide Orphans 14th Annual Gala in NYC, and teamed up withMcDonald's, to serve as a McHappy Day ambassador, making a special appearance and stepping behind the counter inHaberfield, Sydney.[191]
Watts converted toBuddhism after becoming interested in the religion during the shooting ofThe Painted Veil (2006), and became a strong proponent ofTranscendental Meditation.[192][193]
Watts had a relationship with Australian actorHeath Ledger from August 2002 to May 2004.[194] In 2005, Watts began a relationship with American actorLiev Schreiber. Their son was born in 2007, and their daughter,Kai Schreiber, who was assigned male at birth, was born in 2008.[195][196][197][198][199] On 26 September 2016, Watts and Schreiber announced their split after 11 years together.[200]
Watts began dating American actorBilly Crudup in 2017, after they met on the set of the Netflix drama seriesGypsy.[201] The couple married on June 9, 2023.[3][202] In June 2024, Watts and Crudup celebrated their nuptials in a second ceremony surrounded by their family in Mexico.[203]
In 2016, Watts became the honorary president ofGlantraeth F.C., a small football club inMalltraeth,Anglesey, Wales. The club is near her grandparents' farm, where she spent time as a child.[204]
^Watts, Naomi (30 March 2015)."Naomi Watts on 'While We're Young', her roots and being a mum".The Independent (Interview). Interviewed by Pringle, Gill.Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved30 April 2015.If Australians often claim Watts for their own, then she is equally affectionate of her British birthplace, experiencing her formative years in the UK before moving to Australia, aged 14. 'Look, it's the million dollar question I just cannot answer... The truth is that I've spent more time in America out of all three countries. I spent the first 14 years in England, just under 10 in Australia and then the rest in America. I've still got only one passport and that's British and my mum still lives between there and Australia. I feel very much a part of both countries.'
^"Brides of Christ: episode guide".Australian Television Information Archive's Official Site. Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved6 July 2011.
^"Bermuda Triangle (1996)".Encyclopedia of fantastic Film and television. Kim Newman. Archived fromthe original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved28 August 2011.
^"Light for rights: World AIDS day 2009".The Foundation for AIDS Research. The Foundation for AIDS Research's Official Site. 3 December 2009. Retrieved28 July 2011.
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