Naomi Watts has finally been immortalized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, celebrating a career that has spanned nearly four decades. The Mulholland Drive star now joins fellow Australian actors Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Cate Blanchett on the star-studded sidewalk, with her tile marking the 2,825th addition.
The ceremony took place on Monday, October 13, with Watts, 57, joined by her husband Billy Crudup and her son Sasha Schreiber. Her daughter Kai Schreiber, from her previous relationship with actor Liev Schreiber, was absent.
Watts was supported by numerous colleagues from across her career, including Edward Norton, Jack Black, Ryan Murphy, and her upcoming All’s Fair co-stars Sarah Paulson and Niecy Nash. Frequent David Lynch collaborator Kyle MacLachlan was also present.
Born in Britain, Watts started her acting career in Australia with TV roles in Home and Away and Brides of Christ in the early 1990s. Her breakout role came in 2001 when she starred in David Lynch’s surrealist Mulholland Drive after moving to Los Angeles.
In her acceptance speech, she shared how hesitant she was to take on the dual role of Betty Elms/Diane Selwyn, fearing she might disappoint a “fancy director.”
Watts went on to star in 21 Grams and The Impossible, earning Best Actress Oscar nominations for both. She also received a Primetime Emmy nomination and her second Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of socialite Babe Paley in the limited series Feud.
“I’m out of my body right now, but I do think later I will look back on this moment, even tonight, and feel immense pride and excitement. You know, there was all that going into it, it’s just surreal at the same time. But yeah, a lot of hard work, and you know, resilience,” Watts said.
“I nearly quit many times. I just didn’t know what else to do or what I was qualified to do, and I love acting. It’s a privilege to get to tell stories.”
Edward Norton praised her dedication, saying, “You will never have more fun than making a film with Naomi. She is the highest talent-to-lowest pretension ratio of anybody.
She’s stilettos on the red carpet and Sketchers in rehearsal on set.” Ryan Murphy added, “A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is one of our industry’s top honors. It’s the Viagra of awards. You are only gifted this rare achievement if you last.”
Next month, Watts will star in Murphy’s new Hulu series All’s Fair, playing Liberty Ronson, a lawyer in an all-female firm breaking away from a male-dominated office.