Actress Naomi Watts reflected on the difficult early years of her career and her personal experiences with menopause during a masterclass at the Zurich Film Festival, where she received the festival’s Golden Eye Award.
Early career struggles and breakthrough
Watts described the decade before she met director David Lynch as a challenging grind during which she felt worthless and faced eviction. She recalled an agent pulling her aside to tell her she was too intense and was “freaking people out.”
Recalling her desperation at the time, Watts noted that she tried reshaping herself to read the room’s tone, attempting to be funny or sexy depending on what she was told she lacked. Her career shifted when she met David Lynch in her late 20s. She starred in his 2001 film Mulholland Drive, which she credits as her breakout role and a project that still appears on best-of lists.
Following Mulholland Drive, she initially fought with her agent about starring in the horror film The Ring, questioning whether she should move straight into a blockbuster after receiving critical acclaim. The film became a massive hit.
Openness about menopause
During the masterclass, Watts also discussed going through early menopause without knowing what was happening to her body. She recalled an emotional moment crying in a bathroom while trying to remove an estrogen patch, fearing her partner—now her husband, actor Billy Crudup—would not want to be with her.
Instead, she said Crudup was supportive and questioned why she felt ashamed. That conversation led her to own her story and eventually found Stripes Beauty, a brand tailored for women navigating perimenopause and menopause. Watts emphasized that women should share their stories and that men need to be curious and compassionate about the topic.
