Before accepting her latest role, Nicole Kidman reached out to Naomi Watts for advice. In promoting the Netflix limited series The Perfect Couple, Kidman, 57, and Liev Schreiber, 56, discussed their casting as Mr. and Mrs.
Winbury in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. Kidman humorously mentioned that she had to “beg” Schreiber to be her on-screen spouse, while Schreiber revealed that Kidman had sought Watts’ approval first. Kidman confirmed this, prompting Schreiber to marvel at the closeness between the two actresses.
Watts and Kidman’s friendship spans over three decades, with Watts recalling their first meeting at a 1980s audition
Naomi Watts, 55, verified that Kidman did indeed consult her regarding the role in The Perfect Couple. Watts told Entertainment Weekly during the Toronto International Film Festival, “We always check in with each other; we’re best friends. It was very thoughtful of her to reach out.”
Watts and Schreiber, who were together from 2005 to 2016, have maintained a friendly relationship and frequently come together for their children, Sasha and Kai. Kidman and Watts’ bond spans over three decades.
When Watts presented Kidman with the AFI Life Achievement Award in April, she recounted their initial meeting in the 1980s at a swimsuit commercial audition. They connected immediately while waiting to hear about the role, discussing everything from their favorite movies to personal lives.
After they were informed that neither had landed the role, Kidman offered Watts a taxi ride home since Watts had missed the bus. Watts praised Kidman as “the most generous person,” noting that Kidman had welcomed her into her life as if she were family.
Their friendship has endured since their joint appearance in the 1991 film Flirting. Watts recently celebrated Kidman’s birthday on June 20 and Kidman attended Watts’ “fun, beautiful,” and “deeply memorable” wedding to Billy Crudup in June.
The synopsis for The Perfect Couple describes the plot: “Amelia Sacks is set to marry into one of the wealthiest families on Nantucket. The extravagant wedding planned by her future mother-in-law, renowned novelist Greer Garrison Winbury [Kidman], is interrupted when a body is discovered on the beach. As hidden secrets emerge, the investigation reveals like a scene from one of Greer’s novels, making everyone a suspect.”
