Naomi Watts
nearly walked away from acting altogether, but one life-changing role in a David Lynch masterpiece turned her struggles into stardom. Born in the United Kingdom but raised in Australia, Watts spent the early part of her career juggling small roles in television and small-budget films. Despite minor successes, such as her appearance in the cult sci-fi movie Tank Girl, Watts struggled to break into Hollywood’s cutthroat industry. By the late 1990s, she was at a crossroads with her career, contemplating a move back to Australia and putting an end to her acting ambitions.

During this time, Watts worked tirelessly to make ends meet, taking on commercials and roles in independent projects that failed to gain traction. It wasn’t until she caught the attention of the late David Lynch, the renowned filmmaker known for his avant-garde style and unconventional approach to casting, that her luck began to change. Lynch, whose credits included Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks, became the catalyst for Watts’ career-defining role.

David Lynch Cast Watts In Mulholland Drive And Changed Her Career

Naomi Watts’ Big Break

In 2001, Lynch cast Watts as the lead in Mulholland Drive, a surreal neo-noir mystery that explores idenтιтy, ambition, and the dark underbelly of working in Hollywood. The film follows Betty Elms (Watts), a bright-eyed aspiring actor who moves to Los Angeles and becomes entangled in a labyrinthine mystery involving an amnesiac woman (Laura Harring), along with a series of cryptic events. Praised for its enigmatic narrative and illusory visuals, the $20 million success became one of Lynch’s most acclaimed works.

During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Watts described her struggles with acting, and her eventual meeting with Lynch. After sitting down and chatting with the director, she secured the role as Betty Elms in Mulholland Drive. For Lynch, he saw in Watts the raw talent that Hollywood had been overlooking. Check out her interview below:

I wouldn’t have stayed had I not met David Lynch. The chips were down, it was 10 years into flunking auditions. I was literally alienating people. I was making them uncomfortable because I was so like, ‘I need a job! I need a job!’ So much so that my agent at the time said, ‘You’re too intense. You’re making people uncomfortable.’ Yeah, I need a job. I’m desperate, I need to work. I planned on going home multiple times.

Long story short, David Lynch called me in and has a very different way of casting. He sat me down and just looked me in the eyes and asked me questions, and most of the time I was like, ‘How do I get out of your way? How do I speed this up?’ [Because] I’m sure I’m not right, because I just had that programming: I’m not funny, I’m not Sєxy, I’m too old, I’m too this, too that. And he just saw me and was able to sort of lift these veneers.

What This Means For Naomi Watts’ Career

David Lynch Gave Her The Opportunity Of A Lifetime

Beyond Watts’ individual success, her story reflects many other success stories in Hollywood. Her acting journey is an indication that, while even the most talented actors can struggle without the right opportunities, a time for success will come. On the flipside, for Lynch, Mulholland Drive solidified his everlasting legacy as a director who is capable of drawing out extraordinary performances from his actors.

The critical success of Mulholland Drive not only launched Watts into stardom but also cemented her as a force in Hollywood. Her performance earned her well-deserved and widespread acclaim. Since Mulholland Drive, Watts has starred in over 50 movies, garnering two Academy Award nominations for 21 Grams and The Impossible, a Screen Actors Guild win for Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), and several other accolades. As the project that redefined her trajectory, Mulholland Drive remains a highlight of her career and established her as a noteworthy performer.

Source: Entertainment Weekly