Naomi Watts was born in Shoreham, England on September 28, 1968 to Peter and Miv Watts. Peter Watts, the sound engineer to Pink Floyd, died when Naomi was seven and she began to follow her mother and her brother around England until they settled in Australia when she was fourteen. She coaxed her mother into letting her take acting class when they arrived. After bit parts in commercials, she landed her first role in For Love Alone (1986). Naomi met her best friend, Nicole Kidman, when they both auditioned for a bikini commercial and they shared a taxi ride home. In 1991, Naomi starred along Kidman in the sleeper-hit Flirting (1991) directed by John Duigan. Naomi continued her career by starring in the Australian "Brides of Christ" (1991) (mini) co-starring Oscar-winners Russell Crowe and Brenda Fricker. In 1993, she worked with John Duigan again in Wide Sargasso Sea (1993) and director George Miller in _Gross Misconduct (1993/I)_ . Tank Girl (1995), in 1995, an adaptation of the comic book was a cult hit, starred Naomi as Jet Girl, but it didn't fare well at the box-office and didn't do much for her career as a whole. Watts continued to take insignificant parts in movies including the much forgotten film Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering (1996) (V). It wasn't until David Lynch cast her in the critically acclaimed film Mulholland Dr. (2001) that she began to become noticed. Her part as an aspiring actress showed her strong acting ability and wide range and earned her much respect, as much as to say by some that she was overlooked for a Oscar nomination that year. Stardom finally came to Naomi in the surprise hit The Ring (2002), which grossed over $100,000,000 at the box-office and starred Watts as a investigative reporter hunting down the truth behind several mysterious deaths seemingly caused by a video tape. While the movie did not fair well with the critics, it launched her into the spotlight. In 2003, she starred in Alejandro González Iñárritu's 21 Grams (2003) which earned her - what some say is a much overdue Oscar nomination and brought others to call her one of the best in her generation of actors. The same year she was nominated for 21 Grams (2003), Naomi was chosen to play Ann Darrow in director Peter Jackson's King Kong (2005) which took her to New Zealand for a five month shoot. Watts completed her first comedy in I Heart Huckabees (2004) for director David O. Russell, playing a superficial spokes model - a break from her usual intense and dramatic roles she is known for. In 2005, she reprized her role as the protective-mother-reporter Rachel Keller in The Ring Two (2005). The movie, released in March, opened to $35,000,000 at the box office in the first weekend and established her as a box-office draw. Also in 2005, it was decided that her independent movie Ellie Parker (2001) would be re-released in late 2005 after its success at resurfacing at the Sundance Film Festival. The movie, which Naomi also produced, features her in the title role and is a bit biographical, but yet exaggerated take of the life of a struggling actress as she comes to Hollywood and encounters nightmares of the profession (it also features Watts' own beat-up Honda which she travels around in.) Slated for 2006, she will star with Edward Norton in The Painted Veil (2006). Daughter of Peter Watts, sound engineer for Pink Floyd until 1974. Best friends with Nicole Kidman, since a casting call for commercial when they were girls. Moved to Australia when she was 14. Is a vegetarian. She once appeared in an Australian television commercial turning down a date with Tom Cruise for her mum's lamb roast. Was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People by People Magazine in 2002. Her brother Ben Watts is a well-known photographer. He's been living in the US since 1994. Featured on the cover of the Australian Empire Magazine March 2003 for Women of the Year 2002. Voted the 14th Sexiest Female Movie Star in the Australian Empire Magazine September 2002. When her cell phone sounds, it plays Pink Floyd's "Money". Her father died when she was seven. Accepted the role for 21 Grams (2003) without reading the script first. She met Heath Ledger on the set of new historical epic Ned Kelly (2003), and the pair dated until May 2004. He accompanied her to the 2004 Oscar Ceremony. She has a Yorkshire Terrier named Bob. Her favorite actresses are Meryl Streep, Jodie Foster and Julianne Moore. For music, her favorite artists/bands are Fiona Apple, Coldplay, Björk, Radiohead, Cat Stevens and Pink Floyd. Moved in with best friend Nicole Kidman after Kidman spilt up from husband Tom Cruise. Favorite comfort food is baked beans. Director David Lynch asked her to be in the movie Mulholland Dr. (2001) after picking out her headshot from a stack of actors. Ended relationship with Heath Ledger [May 2004] Favorite sports to watch are soccer, boxing, and tennis Claims she wanted to become an actor after seeing the movie Fame (1980). Spent some of her early childhood in Anglesey, Wales, where her mother is from. Starred in and produced 2001's Ellie Parker (2001), which was made into a kind of cult classic about a struggling actress in Hollywood and the nightmares she encountered. The movie resurfaced in 2005 at the SunDance Film Festival and is set to be re-released in December of 2005. Ranked #76 on Forbes 2005 Power in Entertainment List. Had an horrific fall on the New Zealand set of King Kong (2005). She fell from a height into a ditch, to the shock of the cast and crew. She thanked her rigorous practice of yoga for saving her from any permanent damage. Parents: Peter & Myfanwy (Miv) Watts Grandparents: Hugh & Nikki Roberts Her parents divorced when she was four. When she was 20 years old, she was an assistant editor at "Follow Me" magazine in Australia. After a friend begged her to try acting, she quit her job instead and never looked back. Was accompanied by her boyfriend Liev Schreiber to the King Kong (2005) US-premiere. Model for David Yurman [2006] When she was 18, she tried her hand at modeling and was hired by an agency in Japan.