Naomi Watts Page 5

And another one bites the dust! The celebrity couples just keep on falling and this time it’s Australian actress Naomi Watts and her partner of 11 years Liev Schreiber that have called it a day. The pair have been together since 2005 and share two sons but never made it down the aisle.

The Hollywood couple have called time on their 11-year relationship

In a joint statement released by the two, they said: "Over the past few months, we’ve come to the conclusion that the best way forward for us as a family is to separate as a couple.

Continue reading: Naomi Watts And Liev Schreiber Announce Their Separation

Unless you had read the book, last year's hit 'Divergent' probably left you scratching your head about the story set in post-war Chicago, where people are segmented into factions according to their personalities (Dauntless, Candor, Amity, Erudite and Abnegation), plus the factionless rebels and multi-factioned divergents. Basically it all felt rather contrived, and director Neil Burger's movie had to spend too much time trying to explain how it worked.

Maggie Q and Shailene Woodley in 'Divergent'

Now we move into the second chapter, 'Insurgent', and director Robert Schwentke can just get on with the story, playing down the odd structure of this closed-off city. So it's a much more involving movie that centres on the characters themselves, weaving the action into their personal situations while building a much more urgent sense of suspense up to another cliff-hanger ending. This also lets the female-dominated cast members shine, including Shailene Woodley, Kate Winslet and Naomi Watts, plus Octavia Spencer in a key cameo, and Ashley Judd in recurring flashbacks.

Continue reading: 'Insurgent' Spends More Time On Shailene Woodley And Characterisation

The London Film Festival kicked off this week with the UK premiere of The Imitation Game, attended by stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Mark Strong, Charles Dance, Allen Leech and Matthew Beard. It was a rainy red carpet on Leicester Square, but everyone went on to party into the night after the screening.

Photos - LFF: The Imitation Game premiere

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: Stars Turn Out In For The London Film Festival, As Films Premiere In London And New York, Wahlberg Shoots Ted 2 And Trailers Bow For American Sniper And Ouija

Critics have plenty to say about St. Vincent, the soon-to-be-released comedy drama written and directed by Theodore Melfi, but not all of it is as positive as the film.

Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy star in St. Vincent.

Read More: Guess What Bill Murray Went And Did?

Continue reading: Is Bill Murray's Performance Strong Enough To Save 'St. Vincent' From Critics' Sneers?

Australian actress Naomi Watts has undoubtedly had a very successful movie career, and has even been nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Actress, but the cost of having an impressive professional life has been to make sacrifices in her personal life, especially when it comes to family.

Watts recently admitted she would have liked having more children

Even though Watts is the proud mother of two children, Sasha, 7, and Kai, 5½, whom she shares with American actor Liev Schreiber, the 45 year-old actress recently revealed she regrets not having more children.

Continue reading: Naomi Watts Opens Up About Regrets: "I Should Have Had More Kids"

The cast of Divergent sequels Insurgent and Allegiant is already taking shape with Naomi Watts being the latest A-lister to join the lineup. The actress joins Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Zoe Kravitz and a number of other celebrities for the remaining movies of the young adult franchise. Watts willplay the mother of James’ character Four, appearing in three movies in total, since the final book, Allegiant will be split into two films a la every teen fantasy franchise of the past five years. Watts’ character, Evelyn, is the ruthless leader of the factionless in the books, aka those, who do not belong into any of Divergent’s five castes and have therefore been shunned from society.

Is Watts right for the part of a ruthless rebel leader?

Back in May, Summit also announced the casting of Octavia Spencer as Amity leader Johanna Reyes and the return of Kate Winslet as the main antagonist of the first two books, Jeanine Matthews. According to The Hollywood Reporter, production on Insurgent is already underway in Atlanta. The second film from the series has been given a tentative release date of March 20, 2015 – nine whole months ahead of the other big YA movie coming out in 2015 – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I.

Continue reading: Naomi Watts To Join "Insurgent" Cast Straight Away, As Rebel Leader

In the wake of some truly scathing reviews towards his latest movie, Diana director Oliver Hirschbiegel has spoken out against a tidal wave of bad press that slated his movie, his actors, his directing and sent his royal biopic plummeting down the box office charts in the UK.

Naomi Watts Has Now Been Saddled With The Unfortunate Movie.

Faced with British critics who heaved in revulsion at the "cheap and cheerless" attempt to finally turn the life of the late Diana Princess Of Wales into a palatable movie, Hirschbiegel has spoken out to calm the storm or at least save his reputation. Whilst the Telegraph labelled the film as "a special class of awful," The Guardian elaborated saying Diana is "an excruciatingly well-intentioned, reverential and sentimental biopic about her troubled final years, laced with bizarre cardboard dialogue."

Continue reading: 'Diana' Critical Mauling "Devastating" For Director, Likened To Hitler Movie

It’s pretty fair to say that Diana – the film – was an unmitigated disaster. It would actually be quite unfair to say anything else. But while the critics were bashing away at their keyboard, submitting their negative reviews and sitting back, watching the slew of other derogatory reviews hit the net, spare a thought for poor Oliver Hirschbiegel, who had to read them all.

Naomi Watts might be regretting her decision to get on board as Diana

He said the negative press surrounding the film was "devastating, but when you make a film you don't think about the reactions" (BBC)

Continue reading: Read Diana Director, Oliver Hirschbiegel's Response To Overwhelmingly Bad Reviews

A 6x4ft poster for Diana, the film chronicling the last two years of the princess’s life, has been placed just yards away from where she tragically lost her life in a car accident, causing controversy and outrage.

The movie has failed miserably with the critics

The iconic gold-leafed Flame of Liberty, which would become her unofficial memorial piece, stands metres away.

Continue reading: Insensitive Diana Poster Placement Causes Outrage

The much anticipated biopic of the late Princess of Wales opened this Friday (Sept 20th) to anything but a royal reception. 'Diana', starring Naomi Watts should have been an inspiring cinematic experience but the opinion of most critics is of disappointment.

The deception of the Late Princess concentrates on the last two years of her life, focusing on the relationships she had with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan and Dodi Fayed, son of Billionaire 'Harrods' owner, Muhamed Al fayed.

Continue reading: Princess Of Wales Biopic 'Diana' Opens To A Unanimously Negative Reception-Review Round Up

As the Toronto Film Festival wrapped up earlier this week, 12 Years a Slave, the new film from Steve McQueen (Shame), took home the top prize, which makes it the frontrunner for Oscar nominations. It stars Michael Fassbender, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Brad Pitt and Benedict Cumberbatch. Read more about the win here.

One of the festival's most talked-about films was Don Jon, the writing-directing debut of actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who plays a womanising gym-obsessive who meets his match in the feisty Scarlett Johansson. Both actors were on hand for the film's gala New York premiere this week. Here's a video of Scarlett Johansson at the event and in this video you can see director/actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt at the event.

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: Slavery Drama Wins In Toronto, Gordon-Levitt Makes Filmmaking Debut, Diana Hits UK

Naomi Watts has discussed her feelings towards her latest and largest film role to date, the portrayal of the iconic 'people's princess' in the film Diana, out today in the UK (20 September).

Naomi Watts' Role As Diana Has Been Disparaged By Some.

Watts' relationship with the press in the run-up to the film's release has so far been blighted by a confusing walk-out of an interview with Radio 5 Live's Simon Mayo for the station's film show. Mayo hadn't expressed any particular opinion towards the film; neither had he asked a particularly challenging question, which is why Watts' walk-out was so bemusing for the radio hosts and their listener.

Continue reading: Naomi Watts Worried About Wills' & Harry's Reaction To Diana Portrayal In Biopic [Trailer]

It’s fair to say that Diana has been ‘panned’ by the critics; they didn’t enjoy it, and while they tried to retain a modicum of respect – it is about Princess Diana of course, a national hero – it was difficult to disguise their disdain. But what exactly went wrong? What made The Times call it “atrocious and intrusive”?

Naomi Watts as Diana.

A lot of the vitriol can be found pointing towards Stephen Jeffreys, the man who adapted Kate Snell’s book. The screenplay has taken a fair bit of heat, with many outlets bemoaning its sincerity. The Times congratulated the film’s star, Naomi Watts for “doing her level best with a squirmingly embarrassing script,” adding that "this film is still atrocious and intrusive.”

Continue reading: Defending 'Diana': What Went Wrong With The Royal Biopic?

Some old questions are raised again this week with the release of Diana, starring Naomi Watts. The film - directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel - focuses of the final years of Diana’s life, her relationships with London heart surgeon Hasnat Khan and later, Dodi Fayed. Because of the movie’s somewhat controversial subject matter, Naomi Watts has already tried to distance herself from any possible offence that it might cause, particularly to Diana’s sons, princes William and Harry. 

Naomi Watts as Diana.

"Hopefully if they get to see the film, they will feel that we have done it in a respectful and sensitive way," she told BBC TV. "We try to honor the depiction of her character in the best possible way."

Continue reading: Controversial "Diana" Gets Ripped Apart By Critics, Despite Hesitant Defence From Naomi Watts

Naomi Watts was on the red carpet in London this week for the world premiere of Diana, about the final years in the life of the People's Princess. There were some touchy moments as she promoted the film in the media this week and had to get defensive against journalists' questions. Critics haven't been kind to the film, which opens in the UK later this month. Watch the Diana trailer here.

Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl, Olivia Wilde and director Ron Howard were also out in London this week for the world premiere of their new film Rush, an exhilarating biopic tracing the rivalry between 1970s Formula One champions James Hunt and Niki Lauda. The film opens next week in the UK, and in two weeks in America. Watch the trailer and view photos from the premiere here.

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: Rush And Diana Premiere In London, Scarlett Johansson Stuns Venice, Zac Efron Taunts Seth Rogen

This year's Golden Globes ceremony takes place tonight (Jan 13), and its categories - much like the categories in most of this years awards - look wide open.

At the Golden Globes in particular, it looks as though this year could see the bulk of the prizes going to British recipients, with the ladies in particular providing hope that a few gongs will be getting sent across the Atlantic. Dames Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith and Judi Dench are all vying for awards, with Dame Smith up for two acting gongs - for The Quartet and Downton Abbey. Meanwhile Aussie-Brit Naomi Watts, Emily Blunt and Rachel Weisz are up for awards, whilst Daniel Day-Lewis is looking like the man to beat in the Best Actor category.

Still, Day-Lewis could be beat, meaning he will have to wait til his next film to take his tally of awards up a notch (he always gets nominated at the very least). Joaquin Phoenix and Denzel Washington are probably his biggest threats, but really the award is pretty much Lewis' already. If he doesn't win though, there's a pretty good chance that Damien Lewis could bring the gold home for the UK, being nominated in the television category for Best Actor for his role on Homeland.

Continue reading: A Year Of Surprises? Golden Globes Have No Clear Winner

Taylor Swift was among the big winners at the People's Choice Awards last night (January 9, 2013)

Taylor Swift and The Wanted were undoubtedly the biggest names to take home People's Choice Awards last night at the 39th annual version of the event. Taking place in Los Angeles, the ceremony was also notable for other guests including Paris Hilton, Julianne Hough, Naomi Watts and Lea Michele. The entirely fan-voted for awards saw Taylor Swift take home the Favorite Country Artist gong, though she once again found herself in a 'Kanye' situation as Olivia Munn initially refused to give her the statuette. It was all for play though, with Swift laughing "Oh God... this always happens!" 

Continue reading: The People's Choice Awards Sees Success For Taylor Swift And The Wanted (Pictures)

Ewan McGregor's stunning turn in Juan Antonio Bayona's The Impossible is being lauded by critics left, right and center, with some suggesting it may be the Scottish actor's finest turn since Trainspotting. Of course, the disaster-epic is a very different film from Danny Boyle's 1996 classic, and it's the first time McGregor has played a father or family man.

The movie tells the true story of a family's experience of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. It had its world premiere at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, where it received critical acclaim. Following its full release, Empire magazine dubbed it a "rousing, superbly acted, no-holds-barred melodrama is a mighty feat of physical filmmaking." Peter Bradshaw mused, "This film is not especially complex, and not subtle, but there is judgment and intelligence in the simple idea of survival being the most agonising thing, and making survivor guilt the psychological aftershock of a shattering and irreparable blow." High praise indeed, though it seems McGregor is finally getting the praise he deserves following a series of criminally underrated performances. Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer avoided just about every nominations list, but oozed suspense, drama and a subtle performance from the 41-year-old. Beginners was even better, while last year's Salmon Fishing in the Yemen was a hit with critics despite a fairly average box-office performance.

McGregor's co-star Naomi Watts is nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actress. McGregor did not receive a nomination for Best Actor. 

Continue reading: The Impossible: Is Ewan McGregor Finally Getting The Praise He Deserves?

Naomi Watts feared for her life when a stunt she was filming in The Impossible went wrong. The incident occured when she was filming an underwater stunt, for the movie, which tells the tale of a family caught up in the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami on the coast of Thailand. “Something went wrong technically with the chair they strap you to when they submerge you in the water,” she told The Metro. “It spins you around under water and [the crew] just weren’t able to shut it off at the right point. I couldn’t get out and was really struggling for breath.”

Watts was quick to add that although it gave her a glimpse into the horror suffered by the real victims of the tsunami, she acknowledges that “even this incident was nothing compared to what it was really like.” The movie also stars Ewan McGregor, as her on-screen husband and she reveals that she had something of a head-start on her co-star, as he had never played the role of a parent in a movie before, whereas she had plenty of on-screen and off-screen experience in that respect. “Definitely having been a mother and playing this character, it added a lot of weight to it,” she explained.

Naomi’s two sons, Sasha and Sammy, were onset with her during the filming and she made sure that they were involved in the make-up process when her injuries were being created, so that they were not upset by their mother’s appearance. “They were putting on the chocolate powder for dirt and the blood. They thought that it was incredible fun and they understand that it is all make-believe.” The Impossible is in cinemas now and has been well-received by critics, who have praised JA Bayona’s sensitive but moving treatment of the real-life tale.

Ewan McGregor's films are almost always something to be excited about, with a bibliography including Star Wars, Moulin Rouge!, and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (let's forget all about Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang). His latest movie is The Impossible, alongside Naomi Watts, about a family trying to survive after the devastating Boxing Day tsunami in Thailand, in 2004. 

With the Guardian, he speaks about the difficulties the film faced, from the weather, to being cursed. He told the paper that the "What you got from [from the story] was the brutality and truth... But it's not until you get on the set that you think: Oh my God." adding that "It was a very difficult film to make." With terrible weather on the wrong days, to fine weather when they needed storms, lots of things went wrong. "There was some talk among the Thai crew that the film might be. cursed, you know? That the spirits or the gods might be preventing us from making the film." 

The Thai film crew were in fact so spooked that they held rituals, sending lanterns in the sky which didn't fair well in the wind. The film is receiving mixed reviews, but we'd not quite say it's cursed. Peter Bradshaw reviewed it for the Guardian and admitted to being "blindsided by its real emotional power", and watching it "through a wobbly blur of tears." However, be grateful for those tears, as McGregor notes: "Jota [Juan Antonio Bayona, the director] has always said - and he's right - crying was a real privilege in that situation [of the tsunami], because nobody had time. And so when people did cry, they totally fell apart." It will be released nationwide on January 1st. 

It is becoming more and more popular practice to make movies about recent history. Kathryn Bigelow has successfully made films about the American-Middle East conflicts in Zero Dark Thirty and The Hurt Locker, while this year's Beasts of the Southern Wild broaches the topic of 2005's Hurricane Katrina which left almost 2000 dead and thousands homeless. The latest movie of this trend is The Impossible, starring Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts, and is about the enormous Tsunami that hit south east Asia on Boxing Day in 2004. 

The Impossible is the true story of a Spanish family who headed to Thailand for a Christmas vacation, only to be met with disaster after the joys of the festive day. Perfect timing, therefore, to be released just before Christmas, on December 21st this year. Although in reality it was a Spanish family, they've been transformed into a fictional British family. After the walls of water hit and begin their devastation, the family are separated and its this that fuels the movie. Peter Bradshaw, for the Guardian, says that "McGregor delivers a performance with a sledgehammer emotional punch." A sentiment that is repeated by almost all critics, even those who didn't like the film as a whole. Bradshaw added that "With simplicity and conviction, it manages to be something other than a conventional disaster movie."

However, the Washington Examiner rightly questions whether the film may only "serve only to trivialize [the] experience", which is precisely what the New York Times thinks it did, saying "There is a troubling complacency and a lack of compassion in "The Impossible," which is less an examination of mass destruction than the tale of a spoiled holiday." However, in distinct contrast, the Los Angeles Times says that "It is the kind of ode to the human spirit that you hope comes along, and not just during the holiday season" and Time Magazine tentatively says "The Impossible is life-affirming." Disaster movies tend to either be focused solely on intense drama, or intense emotion, but The Impossible seems to do a little of both. Judging by the mixed reviews it'll be down to the audience to decide whether this was a good move. 

Continue reading: Is The Impossible A New Kind Of Disaster Movie?

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is riding high in the US box office charts (way higher than its nearest competitor, Rise of the Guardians) this week and it’s unlikely that will change, though there are at least two releases this weekend that have been causing a stir. Tom Cruise stars in Jack Reacher – the adaptation of the Lee Child novel and This Is 40, the new comedy from Judd Apatow; a sequel to the popular comedy Knocked Up.

Some fans of Lee Child’s novels questioned the decision to cast Tom Cruise in the title role of Jack Reacher. He was, after all, originally on board as a producer only but after reading the script, it seems, he decided he’d like to have a go at starring in the movie too. It looks as though the gamble has just about paid off, as long as you enter the movie theatre with the understanding that what you are about to see is very much A Tom Cruise Movie, with Tom Cruise in standard Tom Cruise “cool and calculating” mode, as described by Betsy Sharkey of Los Angeles Times.

So far, the reviews are just about erring on the side of positive, with an aggregate of 63% on Rotten Tomatoes. Let’s face it, Tom Cruise’s rep has hardly had an easy ride this year and this is hardly challenging new ground for the Mission Impossible star, who has frequented many a steely action thriller of late. However, many reviewers have surmised that really, it’s Cruise that makes this movie. “This is Cruise’s show. And he nails it,” says Peter Travers of Rolling Stone. One for the Cruise fans, then. Wherever you are.

Continue reading: Hot Tickets! US Movie Releases: Will Tom Cruise Make Or Break 'Jack Reacher'? Is 'This Is 40' As Good As 'Knocked Up'?

Ewan McGregor cut a fine look as he arrived to the UK premiere of The Impossible

Ewan McGregor led the cast of The Impossible down the red carpet at the London BFI IMAX Cinema with most of the main protagonists in attendance for the film. Also starring Naomi Watts, and with a supporting cast including Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin and Oaklee Predergast, The Impossible tells the true story of a Spanish couple and their children who are holidaying at a resort in Thailand when a devastating tsunami rips the area apart, separating the family members up and beginning a frantic quest for them to reunite. 

Continue reading: Pictures: Ewan McGregor And Naomi Watts Glitter As The Impossible Has UK Premiere

Family and friends of the late Heath Ledger, including his ex-girlfriend Naomi Watts, have gathered at a memorial service for the actor.

Watts and Ledger's ex-fiancee Michelle Williams were among the mourners at the private service at the Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary in Los Angeles after the Brokeback Mountain star's body was flown from New York City.

The 28-year-old was found dead in his downtown Manhattan apartment last Tuesday with an autopsy proving inconclusive as to the cause of death.

Though it was reported that prescription drugs were found in the SoHo bedroom, it has since been reported that the actor's death may have been a result of natural causes.

According to celebrity web site TMZ.com, sources "intimately connected with the investigation" have said Ledger may have died from a heart attack.

"It's now appearing that the level of toxicity (from medication) in Ledger's system was low enough that it may not have caused his death. These sources say Heath's heart stopped," the website reported.

Some 1,000 guests at the G'Day USA Australia Day Ball at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City held a minute's silence in honour of the Perth-born actor on Saturday night.

According to Melbourne newspaper The Age, the Australian consul-general also read a letter written by the late actor's father Kim.

"Heath did not become an actor for the fame or fortune," he wrote. "He loved his craft and he loved helping his friends. He loved chess and skateboarding too."

The letter added: "My image of Heath in New York is him with his skateboard, a canvas bag and his beanie.

"That was Heath to me... Heath is and always will be an Australian."

Continue reading: Naomi Watts Joins Heath Ledger's Family At Memorial Service