Naomi Watts is sharing insights about her close relationship with friend and co-star Bill Murray. In an interview with PEOPLE ahead of the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival premiere of The Friend, Watts, 55, spoke warmly about her friendship with Murray, 73. “It means the world.
It’s very lovely, and we do have a very special friendship,” she said. In this new film, the duo portrays long-time friends in New York City, with Watts’ character taking care of Murray’s character’s Great Dane after his unexpected passing.
“I’m thrilled that this film focuses on friendships,” Watts remarked. “So often, relationship movies revolve around romance or family dynamics, but friendship is incredibly powerful and becomes even more important as you age. It makes sense to highlight that kind of bond, which I share with Bill as well.”
Naomi Watts reflects on the rarity of films focusing on friendships rather than romantic or family dynamics
Watts and Murray’s collaboration dates back to their 2014 film, St. Vincent. She humorously suggested that her casting in The Friend was due to the filmmakers’ desire to involve Murray. “When they mentioned his name, my first thought was, ‘Oh, they must want to get to Bill through me,’” Watts explained. “Knowing that I’ve worked with him, it made perfect sense, and I was determined to make it happen.”
The film, directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel, also features Sarah Pidgeon, Carla Gugino, Constance Wu, Nova Dumezweni, Ann Dowd, Felix Solis, Owen Teague, and Bing the Great Dane. Watts, an avid dog lover, praised Bing, the canine star of the film. “He was wonderful to work with,” she noted.
“Bing came with his owner and breeder, Bev Klingensmith, who is highly trained in animal training for movies, TV, and even Broadway. The level of precision required is impressive, especially for such a large dog who can get tired easily. They searched extensively across the country to find Bing in Iowa.”
Based on Sigrid Nunez’s 2018 novel, The Friend had its world premiere at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival.
