Naomi Watts (b. 1968), actress, was born in England and came to Australia from Wales at the age of 14. After appearing in the Australian films Brides of Christ (1991) and Gross Misconduct (1993) she settled in Hollywood. There, she gained roles in various dead-end ventures until her break came with David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive (2001). After she had made the highly diverse The Ring (2002), Merchant-Ivory’s Le Divorce (2003), and Ned Kelly (2003), her A-list status was confirmed when she became the first actress to be nominated for a Golden Globe, a BAFTA award and an Academy Award in the same year, for 21 Grams (2003). She won the Golden Globe. The Ring 2 was followed by King Kong (2005), in which she played the mutant ape’s love interest. After the lavish period drama The Painted Veil (2007), which she produced with co-star Edward Norton, she returned to anguished roles in Funny Games (2008) and The Impossible (2012). Her recent films include Birdman (2014), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and was awarded five stars from both Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton; St Vincent (2014); and While We’re Young (2014).
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the artist 2004
© Peter Brew-Bevan courtesy of Sue Southam Management
Accession number: 2004.14
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Peter Brew-Bevan (6 portraits)
On one level The Companion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves: who we read, who we watch, who we listen to, who we cheer for, who we aspire to be, and who we'll never forget. The Companion is available to buy online and in the Portrait Gallery Store.
How seven portraits within Bare reveal in a public portrait parts of the body and elements of life usually located in the private sphere.
Peter Brew-Bevan discusses two experiences where his plans for his portraits produced surprising results.
Drawn from some of the many donations made to the Gallery's collection, the exhibition Portraits for Posterity pays homage both to the remarkable (and varied) group of Australians who are portrayed in the portraits and the generosity of the many donors who have presented them to the Gallery.
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