Watts and Crudup first met on the set of their Netflix series “Gypsy” in 2017. Although sparks flew immediately, the couple kept their relationship a secret for years, only making their red carpet debut only in 2022. In 2023, they sparked engagement rumors. , which they later confirmed by announcing that they had gotten married.

Now, in her new book, Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I’d Known About Menopause, Naomi Watts looks back on her past. The “King Kong” actress recalls a cheeky comment from Billy Crudup about his testicles that comforted and amused her early on in their romance.

In her recently published book, Watts opened up about an early and vulnerable moment in her relationship with Crudup. At the time, she had just started hormone treatment for menopause and was wearing an estrogen patch to manage her symptoms.

“I was afraid that if he saw [the patch]he would realize that this meant that I was menopausal: I was no longer a vibrant and fertile being,” she wrote, according to Page sixadmitting that she felt embarrassed by the adhesive marks left on her skin.

On one occasion, as the couple prepared for an intimate evening at Crudup’s, Watts spent a lot of time scrubbing her skin “raw” in the bathroom, desperate to remove all traces of the patch. When Crudup asked her if everything was okay, she finally confessed her concerns about menopause.

Rather than reacting with discomfort, Crudup surprised her with empathy and humor. “A smile appeared on his face. He seemed very relieved that the problem was not a lack of desire,” Watts explained. He reassured her by saying, “I think it’s great that you’re taking care of yourself. How can I help?

To lighten the mood even further, the “Morning Show” star shared her own experience with aging, saying, “Hey, if it makes you feel any better: I have gray hairs on my balls.”

Watts revealed that the unexpected joke left her laughing and feeling at ease. “To this day, those words remain the most romantic words I have ever heard on screen or offline,” she joked in the book. “And that includes the script of every film I’ve ever starred in, and even the very affectionate marriage proposal from that same man, which came seven years later.”

Naomi Watts almost left Hollywood before her longtime friend and collaborator David Lynch cast her in the iconic 2001 film noir “Mulholland Drive.”

The Oscar-nominated actress opened up about her struggles and Lynch’s pivotal role in her career during an appearance on “Live With Kelly and Mark” on Tuesday. Lynch, who died last week at the age of 78, was not only instrumental in Watts’ professional breakthrough but also in keeping him in America to pursue his Hollywood dreams.

Watts revealed that before landing the role in “Mulholland Drive,” she was about to return to Australia, where she began her acting career after leaving the United Kingdom as a child. “I wouldn’t have stayed if I hadn’t met David Lynch,” explained the 56-year-old actress. “The chips were down, it was 10 years after failed auditions.”

Promoting his new nonfiction book, “Dare I Say It,” Watts explained his frustration with his stalled career at the time. Although she landed roles in the 1995 comic book adaptation “Tank Girl” and the 1996 horror sequel “Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering,” she struggled to find work. consistent work.

“Nothing was happening,” she admitted. “I was literally alienating people. I made them uncomfortable because I said, “I need a job!” I need a job! So much so that my agent at the time said to me, “You’re too intense.” You make people uncomfortable. » Watts described feeling hopeless and considering giving up on her Hollywood dreams on several occasions.

That’s when Lynch stepped in.

Watts talked about how the filmmaker’s unique casting process made an impact on him.

“David Lynch called me and he has a very different way of doing castings. He sat me down, looked me in the eyes and asked me questions,” she said. Although she initially doubted herself, thinking, “I’m not funny, I’m not sexy, I’m too old,” Lynch’s perspective was transformative. “He just saw me and was able to kind of lift those facets.”

Shortly after their meetings, Watts was cast in “Mulholland Drive.” The role became a defining moment in her career, earning rave reviews and propelling her to stardom. Watts credited Lynch not only for this professional opportunity, but also for becoming “a true mentor and friend.”