Naomi Watts says movies are missing this plot. Why women need it.
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Naomi Watts says movies are missing this plot. Why women need it.
Laura Trujillo, USA TODAYJanuary 26, 2026 at 2:02 AM
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British actress Naomi Watts, known for her roles in films like "The Ring," "21 Grams," and the blockbuster "King Kong," saw her Hollywood Walk of Fame star for the first time during an unveiling ceremony in Hollywood, California, on Oct. 13, 2025.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/srbFBoy39YcGK.6P8MMSzw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/0350f148630ec6932bc47ef92cafeb9d class=caas-img data-headline="Naomi Watts celebrated at Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony by Jack Black, Edward Norton" data-caption="
British actress Naomi Watts, known for her roles in films like "The Ring," "21 Grams," and the blockbuster "King Kong," saw her Hollywood Walk of Fame star for the first time during an unveiling ceremony in Hollywood, California, on Oct. 13, 2025.
">British actress Naomi Watts, known for her roles in films like "The Ring," "21 Grams," and the blockbuster "King Kong," saw her Hollywood Walk of Fame star for the first time during an unveiling ceremony in Hollywood, California, on Oct. 13, 2025.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/srbFBoy39YcGK.6P8MMSzw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/0350f148630ec6932bc47ef92cafeb9d class=caas-img>From left: Edward Norton, Watts, Ryan Murphy and Steven Nissen, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/wGAJ1qQ.mEG68Eb7chQh2Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODY0/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/f78dffed1175d2fb886df72af452a28a class=caas-img data-headline="Naomi Watts celebrated at Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony by Jack Black, Edward Norton" data-caption="
From left: Edward Norton, Watts, Ryan Murphy and Steven Nissen, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
">From left: Edward Norton, Watts, Ryan Murphy and Steven Nissen, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/wGAJ1qQ.mEG68Eb7chQh2Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODY0/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/f78dffed1175d2fb886df72af452a28a class=caas-img>Watts laughs as Jack Black strikes a pose.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/soLl2aQ9sdnmpsaj.37VLQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/3b35e4af1bf67a907d74d705f3c84cab class=caas-img data-headline="Naomi Watts celebrated at Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony by Jack Black, Edward Norton" data-caption="
Watts laughs as Jack Black strikes a pose.
">Watts laughs as Jack Black strikes a pose.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/soLl2aQ9sdnmpsaj.37VLQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/3b35e4af1bf67a907d74d705f3c84cab class=caas-img>Sarah Paulson and Niecy Nash
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/5YawRddfqMJY4nZbXJbuYw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/e781a2f737921a297022ef7c0bf71e98 class=caas-img data-headline="Naomi Watts celebrated at Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony by Jack Black, Edward Norton" data-caption="
Sarah Paulson and Niecy Nash
">Sarah Paulson and Niecy Nash
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/5YawRddfqMJY4nZbXJbuYw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/e781a2f737921a297022ef7c0bf71e98 class=caas-img>Watts and Max Greenfield
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Psj84EFa2BaUirHCAQUeqA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/33be119149b0649f91cc9bffbf2f0953 class=caas-img data-headline="Naomi Watts celebrated at Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony by Jack Black, Edward Norton" data-caption="
Watts and Max Greenfield
">Watts and Max Greenfield
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Psj84EFa2BaUirHCAQUeqA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/33be119149b0649f91cc9bffbf2f0953 class=caas-img>Jack Black and Kyle MacLachlan attend the event
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Wq0BRTT7jQn1PkzefXSZIA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/8931179e475c84e732efac558fc99aa6 class=caas-img data-headline="Naomi Watts celebrated at Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony by Jack Black, Edward Norton" data-caption="
Jack Black and Kyle MacLachlan attend the event
">Jack Black and Kyle MacLachlan attend the event
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Wq0BRTT7jQn1PkzefXSZIA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/8931179e475c84e732efac558fc99aa6 class=caas-img>From left, Watts' husband and actor Billy Crudup and her son Sasha Schreiber
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/pQ3i839ZlPWODBAfXxbw3Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05MDc-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/edbfeb84664711bb0b4f0af9f2bb3f56 class=caas-img data-headline="Naomi Watts celebrated at Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony by Jack Black, Edward Norton" data-caption="
From left, Watts' husband and actor Billy Crudup and her son Sasha Schreiber
">From left, Watts' husband and actor Billy Crudup and her son Sasha Schreiber
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/pQ3i839ZlPWODBAfXxbw3Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05MDc-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/edbfeb84664711bb0b4f0af9f2bb3f56 class=caas-img>Watts and her brother, Ben Watts
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/ub0pteMOVIQRZPVxHt8Caw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/d563ea4ed88fa7b70b2f0abda419a071 class=caas-img data-headline="Naomi Watts celebrated at Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony by Jack Black, Edward Norton" data-caption="
Watts and her brother, Ben Watts
">Watts and her brother, Ben Watts
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/ub0pteMOVIQRZPVxHt8Caw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/d563ea4ed88fa7b70b2f0abda419a071 class=caas-img>Ryan Murphy embraces Watts.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/LMK9UYH1yTfhERIZ6Fp2xg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05MDc-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/030288f9fa9ee6d018974f3ba7db6e76 class=caas-img data-headline="Naomi Watts celebrated at Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony by Jack Black, Edward Norton" data-caption="
Ryan Murphy embraces Watts.
">Ryan Murphy embraces Watts.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/LMK9UYH1yTfhERIZ6Fp2xg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05MDc-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/030288f9fa9ee6d018974f3ba7db6e76 class=caas-img>Naomi Watts
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Mkv992fheI28m8bmU_Jt5g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/73bf99931860d568170c985418c20ea0 class=caas-img data-headline="Naomi Watts celebrated at Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony by Jack Black, Edward Norton" data-caption="
Naomi Watts
">Naomi Watts
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Mkv992fheI28m8bmU_Jt5g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/73bf99931860d568170c985418c20ea0 class=caas-img>Naomi Watts speaks during her Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/r9vcboq52B6Hfe6E344eYA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/bd09f8fa2b24dee95e192af6067006a8 class=caas-img data-headline="Naomi Watts celebrated at Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony by Jack Black, Edward Norton" data-caption="
Naomi Watts speaks during her Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony.
">Naomi Watts speaks during her Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/r9vcboq52B6Hfe6E344eYA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/bd09f8fa2b24dee95e192af6067006a8 class=caas-img>
1 / 11Naomi Watts celebrated at Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony by Jack Black, Edward Norton
British actress Naomi Watts, known for her roles in films like "The Ring," "21 Grams," and the blockbuster "King Kong," saw her Hollywood Walk of Fame star for the first time during an unveiling ceremony in Hollywood, California, on Oct. 13, 2025.
Naomi Watts sighs when she thinks about how menopause was portrayed in movies when she was growing up.
It was all jokes about hot flashes and emotional, hormonal women.
No one talked much about it then, so the big screen was the only place she learned about the midlife moment. Those scenes shaped her view so much that she didnât even realize many of her own symptoms â from dry eyes to frozen shoulder â were signs that she was nearing menopause.
Now at 57, Watts wants to change this narrative.
Podcasters, creators, comedians and writers are taking menopause conversations from taboo to mainstream. And Hollywood producers need to follow, Watts says. She is pushing for more stories that redefine midlife as a time of power, not decline.
âWe need to see ourselves represented,â she tells USA TODAY. âTalking about menopause and showing our stories in movies can help women feel less alone. Itâs about taking the shame and stigma away and thatâs important through storytelling of all kinds.â
Stars of all ages turned out for the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards on Jan. 10, a celebration of film and TV that speaks to a 50-plus audience, starting with Kathy Bates.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/ANmzlVCq4_1k0mQH83ub9w--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjU4/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/f7a98e13c8f0ad119773627a87f708bc class=caas-img data-headline="See Natalie Portman, Charli xcx and Prince Harry in the best celebrity photos of January" data-caption="
Stars of all ages turned out for the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards on Jan. 10, a celebration of film and TV that speaks to a 50-plus audience, starting with Kathy Bates.
">Stars of all ages turned out for the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards on Jan. 10, a celebration of film and TV that speaks to a 50-plus audience, starting with Kathy Bates.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/ANmzlVCq4_1k0mQH83ub9w--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjU4/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/f7a98e13c8f0ad119773627a87f708bc class=caas-img>Adam Sandler (right), recipient of the night's career achievement award, and wife Jackie Sandler.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/.3JKk0KOHncLnsyNgcNLSA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/0956cc014d5e6db80d80b08d1f90f1e6 class=caas-img data-headline="See Adam Sandler, Noah Wyle step out at AARP Movies for Grownups Awards" data-caption="
Adam Sandler (right), recipient of the night's career achievement award, and wife Jackie Sandler.
">Adam Sandler (right), recipient of the night's career achievement award, and wife Jackie Sandler.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/.3JKk0KOHncLnsyNgcNLSA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/0956cc014d5e6db80d80b08d1f90f1e6 class=caas-img>Jackie Sandler and Adam Sandler
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Z451fB82Zen4Bn8mrasPyw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjU4/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/cb45c22a547f833d5d8b2695ceec8385 class=caas-img data-headline="See Adam Sandler, Noah Wyle step out at AARP Movies for Grownups Awards" data-caption="
Jackie Sandler and Adam Sandler
">Jackie Sandler and Adam Sandler
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Z451fB82Zen4Bn8mrasPyw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjU4/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/cb45c22a547f833d5d8b2695ceec8385 class=caas-img>Noah Wyle
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/MgK2Q6FnFRwi7Scqn.PCcw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjU4/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/e94fa7f3f8c7ff40c44ffba46dd48205 class=caas-img data-headline="See Adam Sandler, Noah Wyle step out at AARP Movies for Grownups Awards" data-caption="
Noah Wyle
">Noah Wyle
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/MgK2Q6FnFRwi7Scqn.PCcw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjU4/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/e94fa7f3f8c7ff40c44ffba46dd48205 class=caas-img>Sharon Stone
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/kiA2bu5ql44tH3Ak4yjzsw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODk5/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/576117e0c95864d845e94dc68c9df351 class=caas-img data-headline="See Adam Sandler, Noah Wyle step out at AARP Movies for Grownups Awards" data-caption="
Sharon Stone
">Sharon Stone
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/kiA2bu5ql44tH3Ak4yjzsw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODk5/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/576117e0c95864d845e94dc68c9df351 class=caas-img>Laura Dern
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/6H._mhvPAHGbqIgiO5WcYw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjU4/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/c668d85db688ea7c3882642ab0078701 class=caas-img data-headline="See Adam Sandler, Noah Wyle step out at AARP Movies for Grownups Awards" data-caption="
Laura Dern
">Laura Dern
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/6H._mhvPAHGbqIgiO5WcYw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjU4/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/c668d85db688ea7c3882642ab0078701 class=caas-img>Host Alan Cumming
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/dUa1VeWi36fkZRizkd6bqw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjU0/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/2a9f632e05766a70c258b7dab23cdca2 class=caas-img data-headline="See Adam Sandler, Noah Wyle step out at AARP Movies for Grownups Awards" data-caption="
Host Alan Cumming
">Host Alan Cumming
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/dUa1VeWi36fkZRizkd6bqw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjU0/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/2a9f632e05766a70c258b7dab23cdca2 class=caas-img>Stellan SkarsgÄrd
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/vTpzXRGbCkAkAZkOtdlZ_g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjgx/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/3c97ffbd76da8e89ebd239e2388976a3 class=caas-img data-headline="See Adam Sandler, Noah Wyle step out at AARP Movies for Grownups Awards" data-caption="
Stellan SkarsgÄrd
">Stellan SkarsgÄrd
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/vTpzXRGbCkAkAZkOtdlZ_g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjgx/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/3c97ffbd76da8e89ebd239e2388976a3 class=caas-img>Jessie Buckley
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/fn_.zbTFx454Kt7CmMfuVQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/ac7b25c2ce8d8f1fe8a9240249145b8c class=caas-img data-headline="See Natalie Portman, Charli xcx and Prince Harry in the best celebrity photos of January" data-caption="
Jessie Buckley
">Jessie Buckley
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/fn_.zbTFx454Kt7CmMfuVQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/ac7b25c2ce8d8f1fe8a9240249145b8c class=caas-img>Paul Mescal
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/zO6SjszpvyhPoxfizS0Ilg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/114ace7142c30f88fc249f1961a237fc class=caas-img data-headline="See Natalie Portman, Charli xcx and Prince Harry in the best celebrity photos of January" data-caption="
Paul Mescal
">Paul Mescal
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/zO6SjszpvyhPoxfizS0Ilg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/114ace7142c30f88fc249f1961a237fc class=caas-img>Elle Fanning
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/bNx2IPO9qSxXV.7Ke.EkhA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/f2367c08e756aa073c6e35c613168c70 class=caas-img data-headline="See Adam Sandler, Noah Wyle step out at AARP Movies for Grownups Awards" data-caption="
Elle Fanning
">Elle Fanning
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/bNx2IPO9qSxXV.7Ke.EkhA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/f2367c08e756aa073c6e35c613168c70 class=caas-img>Amanda Seyfried
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YbfVrbBUzV_Pvf74wQQp5A--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjU0/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/426a2f3f0579f0797a8f9646407c4a5b class=caas-img data-headline="See Adam Sandler, Noah Wyle step out at AARP Movies for Grownups Awards" data-caption="
Amanda Seyfried
">Amanda Seyfried
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YbfVrbBUzV_Pvf74wQQp5A--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjU0/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/426a2f3f0579f0797a8f9646407c4a5b class=caas-img>Amanda Seyfried
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/82sBGTddQ77nDzFrsTMRVQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04MjY-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/e2d5957b913836555d96d1b582e20a3a class=caas-img data-headline="See Adam Sandler, Noah Wyle step out at AARP Movies for Grownups Awards" data-caption="
Amanda Seyfried
">Amanda Seyfried
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/82sBGTddQ77nDzFrsTMRVQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04MjY-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/e2d5957b913836555d96d1b582e20a3a class=caas-img>Chase Infiniti
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/kwQhIgxC.DQ8.l7lo0kWKw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNjU4/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/1c806bc6d8f8462fe088a079ea2c4099 class=caas-img data-headline="See Natalie Portman, Charli xcx and Prince Harry in the best celebrity photos of January" data-caption="
Chase Infiniti
">Chase Infiniti
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Renate Reinsve
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1 / 18See Natalie Portman, Charli xcx and Prince Harry in the best celebrity photos of January
Stars of all ages turned out for the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards on Jan. 10, a celebration of film and TV that speaks to a 50-plus audience, starting with Kathy Bates.
Fearing menopause would end her career
It wasnât long after Watts filmed âKing Kongâ in 2005 (landing her on Forbesâ list of most bankable actresses) when she went to see her doctor about having her first baby.
She was in her late 30s and her doctor told her she was in perimenopause. She was shocked. After a struggle to get pregnant and a miscarriage, Watts went on to have two children one year apart. Then her menopause symptoms began.
âIt was a lonely, scary time,â she remembers.
Growing up in a time when there were two roles for women â romantic lead and grandma â Watts kept her menopause to herself. She worried that talking about it publicly would end her career.
It took her more than 10 years to tell her menopause stories, becoming one of the first celebrities to do so widely. Many followed, from Drew Barrymore who shared that she was having a hot flash during an interview on her talk show in 2023 to Halle Berry who joined U.S. senators at the Capitol last year to push for more money for menopause research and education.
Watts co-founded Stripes, a menopause beauty and wellness brand, in 2022. The company sells everything from vitamins to vaginal cream. Her book, âDare I Say It: Everything I Wish I Knew About Menopause,â which combined funny and relatable stories with expert advice, was published in 2025. (The book comes out in paperback in February.)
âI donât want to be told itâs time to stop,â she says. âI have plenty more to say and do.â
Will menopause have its movie moment?
Has there been a movie in the past decade featuring a menopause story line?
Watts says itâs hard to think of one.
OK, how about TV?
Thereâs âLeeanne,â the sitcom from comedian Leeanne Morgan. And, um, great moments on âFleabagâ (going back six years) and a reference in Wattsâ âAllâs Fairâ legal drama that came out this fall with a cast of actors over 40 including with Glenn Close, 78, Sarah Paulson, 51, Niecy Nash, 55, and Kim Kardashian, 45.
Kim Kardashian and Naomi Watts in "All's Fair."
Menopause is nearly invisible on the screen. Of the 225 films prominently featuring a 40-plus female character released between 2009 and 2024, only 6% (14 films) mentioned menopause, the Geena Davis Institute found in a December 2025 study.
One featured menopause as a recurring story line: In âSex and the City 2,â Kim Catrallâs character navigates menopause and hormone therapy.
Most rely on menopause as a comedic device, a joke to explain womenâs mood swings.
Naomi Watts poses on the red carpet for the screening of the movie "Jay Kelly" in competition, at the 82nd Venice Film Festival, in Venice, Italy, on Aug. 28, 2025.
âItâs fine to do all the funny stuff. Iâm not poo pooing that,â Watts says, laughing. âBut itâs obviously much more in depth and complex like that. It doesnât have to be all doom and gloom if you have the education.â
Do you have a menopause story to tell? Share with us and help us tell better stories.
Menopause as more than just hot flashes
The Geena Davis Institute study found that two out of three people surveyed said itâs important to portray menopause on screen in a more realistic way.
âWe are more than just hot flashes,â says Madeline Di Nonno, president and CEO of the Geena Davis Institute. âMovies and TV can directly affect how women see themselves. And we need to do better.â
About eight in 10 adults 18 and older say movies and TV shape how people see aging, according to a recent study from AARP. (A little more than half of those surveyed were under 50.)
And three in four adults age 50 and older are more likely to support movies or TV that include characters similar in age to them, according to the survey. The organization hosted the Movie Awards for Grown Ups to highlight older actorsâ contributions to movies on Jan. 10.
Watts says the next generation is ready for a change, especially Millennial women who are starting perimenopause.
For now, Watts is celebrating seeing more older womenâs success.
The second season of the Jon Hamm and Amanda Peet Apple TV+'s drama "Your Friends and Neighbors" features Peet's character navigating perimenopause. The season premieres in April. And "Riot Women" a BBC show featuring menopausal women who accidentally form a punk band is being hailed as the must-see show of the year.
Melani Sanders' We Do Not Care Club: How she is making us laugh through menopause
Demi Moore poses with the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, for The Substance, at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., January 5, 2025. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
Watts was happy to see Oscar nominations for Demi Moore, 63, in âThe Substanceâ and Fernanda Torres, 60, in âIâm Still Hereâ in 2025.
She also appreciated seeing older women as love interests, such as Nicole Kidman in âBabygirlâ and Gwyneth Paltrow in âMarty Supreme.â
âWhen I look at the women around me, whether they are actors or writers or producers, teachers or doctors, in their midlife they are doing incredible things and Iâm really impressed by them,â she says. âTheir stories should be reflected. It shouldnât just be young women on the screen.â
Watts says with age comes the ability to be pickier about her projects.
She played the lead in âThe Friend,â a well received 2024 movie about a middle-aged woman who comes to care for a 150-pound Great Dane after her friendâs suicide. Watts will return for season 2 for âAllâs Fair.â
âPeople stop me on the street now not just to ask for a selfie, but to say thank you for being part of the shift in creating the dialogue so I felt comfortable enough to talk to my family members, to my boss, my children,â she says. âThat feels incredibly meaningful and it was definitely worth the risk.â
Laura Trujillo is a national columnist focusing on health and wellness. She is the author of "Stepping Back from the Ledge: A Daughter's Search for Truth and Renewal," and can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Naomi Watts wants movies to include menopause and older women
Source: âAOL Entertainmentâ
