As she prepares to turn 39 this week, Naomi Watts is counting her blessings. She is head over heels in love with the men in her life — two-month-old Alexander Pete and fiancé Liev Schreiber, 39 — and for the first time, she has the freedom to relax and enjoy the moment.
“I could just spend hours gazing at him,” Naomi says of Alexander. “[Motherhood] is such a powerful thing. Life has changed dramatically. It’s all about the baby.”
Now, as she’s set to star in the action/thriller Eastern Promises, the UK-born Aussie actress reveals how she almost gave up on her life’s dream and how best pal Nicole Kidman kept it alive for her.
Eastern Promises is a very emotional movie. Did you feel worn down by it, given your life is so busy at the moment?
No, I actually felt the opposite. I felt refreshed in a weird sort of way. A couple of years later, I think I’m still recovering from doing King Kong. [Laughs.] That film was so physically draining. I mean, it was eight months of 14-hour days filled with jumping, running, being punched, pushed and pulled. So, this film was a luxury. I mean, the emotional aspect is exhausting, but we had time to do it right.
So, are you in love these days?
[Laughs.] I’m very happy.
Will you be having time off to be with Alexander?
I believe I’ve put so much into my work for such a long time that I’ve earned some time off. I feel so sated that I won’t be needing to rush back to it so quickly. The notion of exploring other things is too exciting for me at this point.
You’re best friends with Nicole Kidman. Did her success prepare you for fame?
In a way, because I’ve known Nicole from before her success, and I’ve known her all through it. I’ve experienced it with her. When you’re a friend, you watch and you learn. But, it’s not something you sit down and ask for advice or pointers about.
Was there jealousy when Nicole’s career took off?
Not at all. There was nothing but sheer happiness seeing her getting to do what she really wanted to do. Every time either of us got a great role, we would celebrate and wish each other the best of luck. I was never jealous. And Nic would often go out of her way to make sure I didn’t lose hope or any momentum in pursuing my acting dreams. Her success was such an inspiration to me. It gave me that extra push to keep pushing ahead…
For the full interview see this week’s Woman’s Day (on-sale September 24)
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