Quotes from Naomi Watts

Of course, I want to look the best I can, but I am playing characters that should match my age, and the women and the material that I am interested in are usually going through something. I have to be able to live in my face and tell the story of the character I've taken on.

As much as my kids keep me young, they also have the reverse effect when I don't have the energy.

When I was about 14, my family emigrated from England to Australia, and we decided to stop in Bali on the way through.

I think when a man sees a woman who knows what she wants it can be scary, but it can also be tempting.

The use of violence in movies is a subject that's worth addressing. I'm not standing on a soapbox or wagging a finger, but I'm interested in those subjects for sure.

You have to make peace with yourself. The key is to find the harmony in what you have.

Some movies are the kind you take home with you at the end of the day, and some, you can let go.

I actually have a fear of the water because I nearly drowned. I got caught in a rip tide, and I wasn't a good swimmer because that was when I was emigrating from England to Australia.

Whenever I am in Paris, all I want to do is inhale a big plate of cheese. And in New York, my favourite thing is a toasted bagel with cream cheese. Not only do I not avoid carbs, I more or less have them in every meal. When I start denying myself foods, that's when I crave them.

There's a lot of skeletons in my closet, but I know what they're wearing. I'm not gonna act all ashamed of it.

You won't find me in a romantic comedy. Those movies don't speak to me. People don't come to talk to me about those scripts, because they probably think I'm this dark, twisted, miserable person.

When I had dark hair I definitely felt that I was more anonymous.

I think it's good to explore it. I don't feel bad about that... I mean, I think everyone has a sense of - has a dark side, has a - carries some sort of pain with them. And I find it fun to crack it open and go there.

Whatever is said about roles drying up, I intend to keep working. Certainly now the roles couldn't be more interesting - playing mothers, divorcees. I think it's going to be exciting to play a mother of teenagers. The longer your life, the deeper it gets.

We're so afraid of death in our culture, but I think if we understand it better, then we'll appreciate the life we have more.

Oh, I'm definitely a wild child.

On set is where I feel comfortable. The red carpet stuff, talking about the film, explaining your own life, it doesn't come naturally. It's all necessary stuff I suppose but it's not my strength.

Directors are our teachers, and I'm always craving to work with a great director. They're pretty much the first thing that interests me about a project. Let's put it this way: It'll take me a lot longer to read a script if there's no director attached.

I feel like personally I have more drive now than I did then probably because I care more and also because I've reached the mid-life point.

I consider myself British and have very happy memories of the UK. I spent the first 14 years of my life in England and never wanted to leave. When I was in Australia I went back to England a lot.

There must be a thread in everything I choose to take on, and I can't say it's a calculated thread, but I think you end up doing the work that's resonating with you.

I meditate. I do transcendental meditation and I have been doing that for a long time and that does just clear the mind. I am not religious at all.

My mum put me in drama classes when I was about 14. I'd been going on about it for some time, so maybe it was a way to shut me up.

Maybe in the workplace I have more courage than other areas in my life.