Naomi Watts Revealed the "Most Romantic" Thing Billy Crudup Has Said—And It's Surprising

Naomi Watts is getting candid in her new book Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I'd Known About Menopause. She bears it all on topics that are usually spoken about in hushed tones, from women's aging to sex. She also gives readers an inside scoop into her relationship with her Gypsy costar and husband Billy Crudup—including the most romantic thing he has ever uttered to her, and it's totally not what you'd expect.

The King Kong star explains that at 36 she learned she was going through early menopause. This came as quite a shock, especially as she was trying to have children at the time. Fear had also set in, as aging is often seen as a liability in the industry.

“I spent a long time living in secrecy and shame,” she told People.

Watts experienced a laundry list of side effects, including night sweats, migraines, mood swings, dry skin, urinary tract infections, and thinning hair. Then, she found hormone replacement therapy and made certain lifestyle changes to help her navigate her health.

After splitting from her husband of 11 years, Liev Schreiber (with whom she shares kids, Sasha and Kai), Watts then had to acclimate to dating as a menopausal woman, something that was "all very new."

She and Crudup caught each other's eyes, and things appeared to be going well until Watts had a moment of panic before they spent their first night together. Watts recalls in her book that she ran to the bathroom and tried to peel off her hormone patch before telling Crudup, “I didn’t want you to see it because then you would know I’m in early menopause, which means I am old.”

His reaction stole Watts's heart. And, no, it wasn't a sweet nothing or some lovey-dovey lines from a poem, but rather the sexiest response one could give: honesty.

Watts remembers he smiled and noted how they're the same age.

“If it makes you feel better,” the Almost Famous star told her, “I’ve got gray hairs on my balls.”

Watts wrote that those were "the most romantic words I've ever heard, onscreen or off."

She told the publication that his understanding was "everything." She added, “I felt seen and heard and there’s so much love in that.”

That love led to a marriage. A source confirmed Watts and Crudup were an item in July 2017, with The Morning Show actor publicly referencing their relationship for the first time during his 2020 Critics Choice acceptance speech. Watts confirmed their nuptials with an Instagram post on June 9, 2023, and the two celebrated their union with a second wedding in Mexico on June 8, 2024.

Read the original article on InStyle