A Heartfelt Conversation About Love and Life
Oscar-winning actress Naomi Watts recently shared a deeply personal and touching moment with her husband, Billy Crudup, during an interview at The Swell’s fourth annual Menopause Symposium in New York City. Speaking alongside Maria Shriver and Alisa Volkman, she reflected on the early days of their relationship, highlighting how it helped her gain confidence in sharing her own story.
Naomi, now 57, spoke about meeting Billy in her late 40s. She described a specific moment that marked the beginning of their connection. "The real thing that gave me the courage [to write the book and open up] was my husband," she said. "I met him in my late 40s and I had to excuse myself quickly at the [first] moment we were getting down to business to remove my estrogen patch, as it would be awful for him to see, of course!"
She continued: "So I slipped away, and came out flushed and he asked if everything was ok, so I just said, 'um you know, well, um, I have this thing on me and it left a mark, and its estrogen because I'm old and should I just leave?!' And he said, 'honey thanks for telling me, it’s great you take your health into your hands, and tell me how I can help'."
This moment, according to Naomi, was the most intimate she has ever experienced with another person. It gave her the permission and confidence to own her story. Her book, Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I’d Known About Menopause, released earlier this year, details her personal experiences with fertility and aging. At 36, when trying to start a family with then-partner Liev Schreiber, she was told she was on the brink of menopause.
A Family Life Filled with Love and Support
Naomi and Billy tied the knot in June 2023 in Manhattan in a low-key ceremony. Their relationship began in 2017 while filming Netflix’s psychosexual drama Gypsy together. Naomi and ex-partner Liev have two children together from their 11-year union, and Billy has a son, William, with ex Mary-Louise Parker.
At the symposium, Naomi spoke openly about her life and how she raises her two children. "I have two teenagers, I have sent one off to college and he is 18 and very much in the place he wants to be, and it's a good feeling," she shared. "Then I have another child who is already launching herself into her career at 16, and I hope for so much for my kids, but most of all I want them to be content, and healthy and kind and compassionate people."
Raising Children with Purpose and Connection
Naomi also discussed her parenting approach, which differs from how she was raised. "I think I was parented very differently to how I parent - the jury is out on the terms of how [my parenting] will show up - but I am not a model for how well my parents did," she said. "I lost my father when I was young and my mum was very young… I had a messy childhood… but … it formed who I am. Although I may have wanted things to go differently, it is who I am."
She emphasized the importance of structure and communication in her children's lives. "I try to infuse structure in their lives, have them in fewer schools than I went to - and I am doing well with that - and communication," Naomi shared. "I just really want them to not be hiding things from me… that is my main goal, and I am here for them as a support system and role model, hopefully, but I never want to force things. I am learning on the job… how to be a parent."
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