[Article] Naomi Watts' Head over Water, and her fears...

by Jenny Cooney Carrillo, SMH
Jan 20, 2013

Naomi Watts is sitting in a Toronto hotel suite reflecting on the challenges of filming her new drama, The Impossible. The film role strips away any semblance of the glamour sitting in front of me today, as the 44-year-old Oscar-nominated actor sits on a plush sofa in a black leather sleeveless dress by Row and a Sara Beltran necklace, her crystal-crusted Pierre Hardy black sandals kicked off in the corner.

The film depicts the incredible true survival story of a Spanish couple with three sons who were swept away in the 2004 tsunami off Thailand that killed more than 230,000 people. Watts spends a good chunk of the film in the water, caked in mud and blood. And she's dealing with a subject most parents don't want to think about: losing a child.

Yet the actor, a mother of two boys, Sasha, 5, and Kai, 4 (her partner is actor Liev Schreiber), downplays any suggestion she's fearless.

''I'm never afraid of 'going there' when it comes to work but my performances are not necessarily me, and I felt much braver in my work than my own life.'' (...more after the jump)

Naomi Watts & director & cast talks "Two Mothers" @ Sundance

Sundance 2013: Naomi Watts Says 'Two Mothers' Director 'Could Get Me to Do Anything' (Video)

1/19/2013 by Sophie A. Schillaci, THR



[Feature]

The actress is joined by Anne Fontaine, and co-stars Xavier Samuel and James Frecheville in THR's video lounge at the fest.

The Aussie actress stars in the new indie, premiering at Sundance this year, as a mother who falls in love with her best friend's son (James Frecheville). Further complicating matters, said best friend (Robin Wright) also falls for Watts' son (Xavier Samuel) as the two mothers struggle to mend their relationship.

"It's a complicated story and not conventional at all, but very real and very intense," Watts said during a visit to The Hollywood Reporter's video lounge. "One of the beautiful things I could say that drew me into the project is the relationship between the two women, because it's so rare that you get a story that celebrates women in such a powerful way… in the face of adversity they are able to forgive and love."

The storyline calls for some steamy scenes between Watts and her younger co-star, but the thesp reveals that the French director could have pushed her even further.

"Yes there is sex in the movie, but it's not about that. It's a symptom of what's going on," said Watts. "[Fontaine] could get me to do anything, I think. You trust much more. You feel safer."

Adding with a laugh, "and this whole thing -- she can't speak English? She knows how to get what she wants."

Naomi Watts honored by The Hollywood Reporter at Sundance Jan 18, 2013

The Hollywood Reporter Reception In Honor Of Naomi Watts was held at at The Samsung Galaxy Lounge Village At The Lift on January 18, 2013 - 2013 in Park City as a Sundance Film Festival's special event and we are pleased first again to bring to our Naomi fans the coverage in pictures.

*More photos [here]

[Review with Spoilers Alert] "Two Mothers" from Sundance FF

Two Mothers (*with spoilers)
A Review by Tim Grierson, Screen International

Dir: Anne Fontaine. Australia-France. 2012. 112mins

A thoughtful, sexy, mature and (most importantly) non-judgmental examination of potentially tawdry material, Two Mothers charts the emotional havoc unleashed when two very close female friends begin relationships with each other’s grown son. Buoyed by nuanced, muted performances from Naomi Watts and Robin Wright, the English-language debut from French director Anne Fontaine (Coco Before Chanel) is at heart about the unfathomable mysteries of human desire, in the process delivering a romantic drama in which sadness and joy are never far apart.

Watts and Wright are both superb playing women who didn’t ask to fall in love with each other’s son but who quickly try to rationalise the situation once it takes hold.

After its Sundance screening, Two Mothers will open in France through Gaumont, and internationally the star presence of Watts (and, to a lesser degree, Wright) will help spur sales. The salacious subject matter may also attract business, although Fontaine’s handling of the material veers toward the intellectual and heartfelt rather than to the trashy or sleazy. (...read on after jump)

Naomi Watts: "Queen of the Desrt" update @ Sundance FF (video)

Naomi updating on "Queen of the Desert" co-starring Jude Law and Robert Pattinson and directed by Werner Herzog at the Sundance Film Festival where she will be promoting her new movie "Two Mothers" on Jan 17, 2013.

[Newscast] Naomi Watts' "Two Mothers" Stirs Controversy at Sundance

Jan 18, 2013
- Gina Sunseri/ABC News

PARK CITY, Utah — It’s not Sundance unless someone’s up in arms about a movie.




This year’s chief target is “Two Mothers,” which stars Naomi Watts and Robin Wright as mothers who have affairs with each other’s teenage sons. While Watts told ABC News Now’s “Popcorn With Peter Travers” “there is sex in it but it’s not really about sex,” the Sutherland Institute, a conservative group in Utah, feels otherwise, and has proposed that state funding for the festival should be cut on the grounds that its content is at odds with Utah’s family values.

“What would you call a film festival airing movies that explore the lives of porn stars, adulterous relationships between mothers and their friends’ children, and teenagers competing to lose their virginity?” Derek Monson, director of public policy for Sutherland, wrote in a blog post. “Many Utahans’ values would lead them to call this ‘obscenity’ or ‘pornography,’ but to the state of Utah, evidently it is simply ‘economic activity.’” (...more after jump)

[Article] Sundance 2013: Naomi Watts Celebrated at THR's Festival Bash - "Two Mothers" Full House

1/18/2013 by Sophie A. Schillaci, THR

The Oscar nominee and "Two Mothers" star mingled at Park City's Village at the Lift on Friday.

The Hollywood Reporter on Friday raised a glass to Oscar nominee Naomi Watts (The Impossible), toasting the star of the fest's Two Mothers.

"I'm very nostalgic for Sundance," Watts said. "My first time here was with a movie I produced and it was called Ellie Parker. It was a short film and we were literally hounding people on the streets just to get them in to see the movie."

Things have obviously changed since then, with Watts' Two Mothers premiering just hours later to a packed house at Eccles Theater.

Joining Watts at THR's fete was her Two Mothers director Anne Fontaine and co-stars Xavier Samuel and James Frecheville. Actor Kyle MacLaughlin, Guggenheim Digital Media CEO Ross Levinsohn, Sony Pictures Classic's Tom Bernard and MPAA chief Christopher Dodd were also in attendance.

THR's editorial director Janice Min hosted the event, held at Park City hotspot Village at the Lift, featuring bites by chef Ludo Lefebvre and sponsored by Samsung Galaxy.

Asked about simultaneously promoting a Sundance indie while working the awards circuit, Watts said: "It's hard to change gears. I'm focusing so much on The Impossible, and now this is a whole other film and very different material. So yeah, it's a big change."

Following her Sundance promotional tour, Watts is looking forward to seeing Seth MacFarlane host the Feb. 24 telecast. "It's been a good year for hosts so far," she said. "[It's] exciting."

[NW2005 1stLOOK] Naomi Watts' "Two Mothers" Portraits - 2013 Sundance FF

Naomi, casually dressed, poses for a portrait with her new film "Two Mothers" director Anne Fontaine and her 2 male co-stars during the 2013 Sundance Film Festival at the Getty Images Portrait Studio at Village at the Lift  on January 18, 2013 in Park City, Utah.



[more images] [watermarking-free HQs]

[Article] Mega Watts

By Jason Johnson, The New Paper
Jan 19, 2013

Just off the top of my head, I could tell you that Angelina Jolie is married to Brad Pitt. There's no one who doesn't know that.

Kristen Stewart cheated on Robert Pattinson. Natalie Portman is married to some dancer she met on the set of Black Swan. I could go on.

Thing is, even though Naomi Watts is one of my favourite actresses, I hadn't a clue about her personal life until I checked the Internet and learnt that US actor Liev Shreiber is her baby daddy. Though not yet married, the unlikely couple have two children together.

Huh. Interesting! (Oh, and she dated the late Heath Ledger before that)...(more after the jump)

W Magazine Feb 2013's 33 Best Performances of the Year

Best Performances

This year’s 33 brightest stars, up close and unscripted.

By Lynn Hirschberg, for W magazine Feb 2013

Naomi Watts in The Impossible

“I never get recognized on the street. I’m lucky that way. People see me as the dolled-up movie-star type on the red carpet, but in real life, I don’t look anything like that. I blend easily into a crowd. My husband, Liev Schreiber, is really distinct, and quite often people push me aside to get to him. They’ll say, ‘Isn’t that the guy…?’ and list off all his credits. They will then ask, ‘Can you take a photo of us?’ They have no idea who I am.”


Who is your cinematic crush?

[Video: Naomi's personal favorite]
she has mentioned him several times before so it's no surprise

Naomi Watts continues with her media junket interviews....(videos)

...on "The Impossible" w/the Indian FrontRow STarTV.



...and w/CNN, London (courtesy of Warner Bros.) together with Maria Belon at the premiere of the film in London.



...and w/AmericaTeVeCanal41 (in Italian)

Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber....announced presenters of upcoming SAG on Jan 27, 2013

[via press release from SAG 01/17/13]

LOS ANGELES Jan 17, 2013 - Ben Affleck, Robert De Niro, Taye Diggs, Liev Schreiber, Kerry Washington and Naomi Watts will be presenters at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, Executive Producer Jeff Margolis announced today.

They join a growing roster of actors who will honor their colleagues at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards that already includes Alec Baldwin, Bradley Cooper, Jeff Daniels, Viola Davis, Neil Patrick Harris, Anne Hathaway, SAG-AFTRA Co-President Ken Howard, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lawrence, Julianna Margulies, Busy Philipps, SAG-AFTRA Co-President Roberta Reardon, Carl Reiner, Justin Timberlake and Sigourney Weaver.
....

Liev Schreiber counts more than 40 feature films to his credit. This year, he has a number of upcoming projects including Showtime's "Ray Donovan"; the Mira Nair thriller "The Reluctant Fundamentalist"; John Turturro's comedy "Fading Gigolo" with Woody Allen and Sharon Stone; the sci-fi thriller "Last Days on Mars"; and Lee Daniel's "The Butler," portraying Lyndon B. Johnson.

......

Oscar nominee Naomi Watts earned her first SAG Awards nomination in 2004 for her role in "21 Grams." She is a nominee again this year for her portrayal of Maria in "The Impossible." Upcoming films include the comedy "Movie 43" with Hugh Jackman and Emma Stone; the drama "Two Mothers" with Robin Wright; and "Diana," in which she portrays Princess Diana.

The 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, one of the awards season's premier events, will be simulcast live coast-to-coast on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, at 8 p.m. (ET)/5 p.m. (PT) from the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles. An encore primetime telecast will begin immediately following on TNT at 10 p.m. (ET)/7 p.m. (PT). The ceremony will also be telecast internationally, as well as to U.S. military installations overseas through the American Forces Network Broadcast Center.

[NW2005 1stLOOK] Naomi Watts on Jay Leno - Jan 17, 2013

Time to shine! Naomi dazzles in low-cut black dress for TV interview with Jay Leno
18 Jan 2013



* [more images]

She may be nominated for an Oscar but Naomi Watts keeps down-to-earth thanks to her loving family.

However the actress was given the opportunity to revel in her spotlight during a television interview on Thursday.

She looked every inch the Hollywood megastar in a simple but effective little black dress for an appearance on Tonight with Jay Leno.

Two very different days: Naomi Watts was interviewed on Tonight with Jay Leno on Thursday while Liev Schreiber looked after the couple's children

The LBD boasted a low-cut and some ruched detailing, and the 44-year-old teamed her frock with some matching caged shoe boots.

During her interview Naomi told Jay an anecdote about a time when she got trapped underwater while filming tsunami scenes for The Impossible.

[Our full-version video]

First Naomi watts' interview with ET in 1996 for "Timepiece" (video)

By DAVID WEINER

Jan 16, 2013

Naomi Watts is making waves with her intense performance in The Impossible, and now we're flashing back to Naomi's first-ever ET interview, when she sported brunette locks and was starring in a 1996 TV movie.

Naomi starred opposite James Earl Jones, Ellen Burstyn, Richard Thomas and Kevin Kilner in Timepiece, a drama about an old clockmaker who faces racism and is tried for murder. The film is set in the 1940s, and despite the serious nature of the plot, the mood was light on the set as Naomi was filming a Christmas scene and enthusiastically reminiscing about her own family's holiday traditions.

There's also a fun outtake featuring Naomi and co-star Kilner doing a holiday promo for ET; Kilner gets uncomfortably close to Naomi, and you can see her blush while attempting to keep her composure.

Naomi Watts - running errands in Los Angeles Jan 15-16, 2013

Taking time to tackle her to-do list, Naomi ran errands in Santa Monica on Wed Jan 16. It was a busy day indeed, first she went to a couple of meetings, stopped to shop at West Elm and then by the bank to get some more cash.

She wore a walking-friendly ensemble of jeans and a black sweater, as she toted her West Elm purchases from store to store.

Earlier, she and Liev were spotted together in the city (Los Angeles) shopping for grocery at the Whole Foods Market. The couple had just moved here in anticipation of the amount of social activity that they would have to attend leading up to the big Oscar event in February.



* [more]

West Coast move for Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber

Jan 16, 2013

Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber, longtime inhabitants of Manhattan, have relocated to Los Angeles. The Post’s LA correspondent, Richard Johnson, reports the bicoastal duo, who are often seen biking with their kids downtown, were at a public school on LA’s west side the other day, enrolling their son Sasha in kindergarten. Their younger son, Samuel, 4, is still in preschool. While Watts is up for an Oscar for her performance in “The Impossible,” Schreiber is in LA filming Showtime’s “Ray Donovan,” playing the titular tough guy who fixes rich people’s problems but has a problem of his own — his father (Jon Voight) just got out of jail. The series premieres in June.

Sightings of Naomi Watts & family out in the city during the past few days

*We are the only Naomi Watts fans group with a 24/7 coverage of Naomi Watts.

"The Impossible" Charity Screening for UNICEF

Hoyts and UNICEF achieve The Impossible

TUE, JAN 15, 2013 - UNICEF Australia has partnered with Hoyts Distribution for the cinematic release of the dramatic true story, The Impossible, starring Oscar-nominated Naomi Watts and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Ewan McGregor.

Between January 24 and February 4 for every ticket sold to see The Impossible at a Hoyts cinema, $1 will be donated to UNICEF Australia.

..... [READ ON]

New Screenshots from Movie 43 in HQ & Banner

[NW2005 1stLOOK] Naomi Watts arrives @ the Golden Globe Awards Jan 13, 2013

*more to follow, stay with us, your 1stLOOK Naomi Watts fan-site.
** [more MQ/HQ images].

*video credit: eyebiteTV

Naomi Watts - Sunday Morning Out for Breakfast

Ready for a fun-filled day, Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber took their boys to breakfast in Brentwood on Sun, Jan 13.

The fashionable couple kept a close eye on their young sons, Samuel and Alexander, as the foursome emerged from the Brentwood Country Mart and set out for a stroll.

[©NW2005 1stLOOK] Naomi Watts - G'Day USA Gala Jan 12, 2013

Pinkish, turtle-neck, bare-shoulders, hair-up..., the ethereal Naomi and husband Liev Schreiber turned up at the Art of Elysium's 6th Annual HEAVEN Gala in Los Angeles, CA on Jan 12, 2013.

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