Last Updated on Friday, 16 October 2009 00:34

Naomi Watts

Short Bio

Naomi Watts was born at Shoreham, Kent, England, UK Naomi is (42) old and her birth sign is Libra

Height
5' 5" (1.65 m)
Mini biography
Born in Shoreham, England and raised in Australia, Naomi Watts has been working actively in the film industry for 15 years. After she moved to Hollywood, she worked regularly, acting in small roles in film projects she was less than enthusiastic about. Finally, her big break came when she was contacted to audition for a coveted spot in David Lynch's Mulholland Dr. (2001). Her star-turning performance in the dual role of Betty Elms/Diane Selwyn has garnered an array of critic's awards and the attention of some major players in Hollywood and beyond. Watts is now enjoying greater choice of film roles and played (with great success)the lead in Gore Verbinski's remake of the Japanese horror classic The Ring (2002). She also starred opposite Kate Hudson in Merchant/Ivory's adaptation of the Diane Johnson novel Divorce, Le (2003). Subsequently, Watts' creative acting abilities have continued to grow and deepen. She has been cast in an array of films with only the best directors and actors and continues to stun critics and amaze filmgoers with her versatility and range.
Mini biography
Naomi Watts was born in Shoreham, England on September 28, 1968 to Peter and Miv Watts. Peter Watts, the sound engineer to Pink Floyd died when Naomi was seven and she began to follow her mother and her brother around England until they settled in Australia when she was fourteen. She coaxed her mother into letting her take acting class when they arrived. After bit parts in commericals, she landed her first role in _For Love Only (1986)_ . Naomi met her best friend Nicole Kidman when they both auditioned for a bikini commerical and they shared a taxi ride home. In 1991, Naomi starred along Kidman in the sleeper-hit _Fliriting (1991)_ directed by John Duigan. Naomi continued her career by starring in the Australian _Brides of Christ (1991)_ co-starring Oscar-winners Russell Crowe and Brenda Fricker. In 1993 she worked with John Duigan again in Wide Sargasso Sea (1993) and director George Miller in Gross Misconduct (1993)_ . Tank Girl (1995)_ , in 1995, an adaptation of the comic book was a cult hit, starred Naomi as Jet Girl, but it didn't fare well at the box-office and didn't do much for her career as a whole. Watts continued to take insignifant parts in movies including the much forgotten film _Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering (1996)_ . It wasn't until 'David Lynch' cast her in the critically acclaimed film _Mulholland Drive (2001)_ that she began to become noticed. Her part as an aspiring actress earned showed her strong acting ability and wide range and earned her much respect, as much as to say by some that she was over-looked for a Oscar nomination that year. Stardom finally came to Naomi in the suprise hit The Ring (2002), which grossed over a hundred million dollars at the box-office and starred Watts as a investigative reporter hunting down the truth behind several mysterious deaths seemingly caused by a video tape. While the movie did not fair well with the critics, it
aunched her into the spotlight. In 2003, she starred in Alejandro González Iñárritu's 21 Grams (2003) which earned her - what some say is a much over due Oscar nomination and brought others to call her one of the best in her generation of actors.
Trivia
Daughter of Peter Watts, sound engineer for Pink Floyd until 1974.
Best friends with Nicole Kidman, since a casting call for commercial when they were girls.
Moved to Australia when she was 14.
Is a vegetarian.
She once appeared in an Australian television commercial turning down a date with Tom Cruise for her mum's lamb roast.
Was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People by People Magazine in 2002.
She has a brother named Ben, who is a photographer.
Featured on the cover of the Australian Empire Magazine March 2003 for Women of the Year 2002.
Voted the 14th Sexiest Female Movie Star in the Australian Empire Magazine September 2002.
When her cell phone sounds, it plays Pink Floyd's "Money".
Her father died when she was seven.
Accepted the role for 21 Grams (2003) without reading the script first.
She met Heath Ledger on the set of new historical epic Ned Kelly (2003), and the pair dated until May 2004. He accompanied her to the 2004 Oscar Ceremony.
She has a Yorkshire Terrier named Bob.
Her favorite actresses are Meryl Streep, Jodie Foster and Julianne Moore. For music, her favorite artists/bands are Fiona Apple, Coldplay, Björk, Radiohead, Cat Stevens and Pink Floyd.
Moved in with best friend Nicole Kidman after Kidman spilt up from husband Tom Cruise.
Her father was a sound engineer for Pink Floyd.
Favorite comfort food is baked beans.
Director David Lynch asked her to be in the movie Mulholland Dr. (2001) after picking out her headshot from a stack of actors.
Ended relationship with Heath Ledger [May 2004]
Personal quotes
'Pain is such an important thing in life. I think that as an artist you have to experience suffering. It's not enough to have lived it once; you have to relive it. Darkness is not a pejorative thing."
"There's a lot of skeletons in my closet, but I know what they're wearing. I'm not gonna act all ashamed of it" - on her early career.
"It was total naivety that got me to Hollywood. I thought it was going to happen straight away. I told myself 'give it 5 years, there's no way I'll be here after that if it doesn't happen'. Cut to ten years later!"
"On set is where I feel comfortable. The red carpet stuff, talking about the film, explaining your own life, it doesn't come naturally. It's all necessary stuff I suppose but it's not my strength."
"I find myself gravitating towards drama. It interests me. In the books I read, the paintings I like, it's always the darker stuff."
"For the record, I am actually British as well as Australian. People always think I'm Australian but I'm happy for the Brits to claim me back. I'm offering myself up."
"Instead of thinking 'how can I slow the ageing process?' I think 'how can I bend the rules?'"
"Whatever is said about
oles drying up, I intend to keep working. Certainly now the roles couldn't be more interesting - playing mothers, divorcees. I think it's going to be exciting to play a mother of teenagers. The longer your life, the deeper it gets."
"My mum put me in drama classes when I was about 14. I'd been going on about it for some time, so maybe it was a way to shut me up."
"We're so afraid of death in our culture, but I think if we understand it better, then we'll appreciate the life we have more." - in response to "21 Grams".
"I've had people who've seen "21 Grams" say, 'Wow, you're so brave to be looking like that'. This shocks me. I think that's what an actor's job is, to lose yourself in a role."
Salary
King Kong (2005) $5,000,000
Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering (1996) (V) $5,000