Naomi Watts Opens Up About Almost Quitting Acting Before Her Big Break

Naomi Watts considers how important David Lynch was to her Hollywood career, particularly when she was thinking about giving up acting.
‘The Mulholland Drive’ actress talked about how the well-known director kept her in the business in a recent interview on ‘Live with Kelly and Mark’. Watts acknowledged that her encounter with Lynch was crucial, saying that without him, she would not have remained in the United States.
Watts clarified that she had been struggling for ten years, failing auditions, before she met Lynch. She explained that she was desperate to get work because nothing was working. She even alienated people at one point due to her desperate need for a job; her agency told her that her desperation was making others uncomfortable.
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Watts had minor parts in ‘Tank Girl’ (1995) and ‘Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering’ (1996) before getting the part in ‘Mulholland Drive’, but there weren’t many major roles available. She’d thought about going home several times, but Lynch had called. She recalled how Lynch sat her down, asked her questions, and looked into her eyes, making his casting process special. Unsure of herself, Watts continued to believe she wasn’t suited for the part, but Lynch was able to see through her fears and assist her in removing the layers of uncertainty.
Watts credits Lynch as a friend and mentor, and that encounter helped her land the part in ‘Mulholland Drive’. Watts expressed her appreciation and sorrow in a moving social media memorial following his passing. She claimed that Lynch’s artistic direction had a significant influence on her career and enabled her to make her debut in a field she had been unable to penetrate for more than a decade. With a heartfelt farewell, Watts concluded her message, expressing her profound sadness but also her tremendous thanks for their friendship.
–Farheen Ali