As much as we might not like to admit it, most of us lean more heavily into trying to look and feel young for longer, rather than aging gracefully. When we're struggling with this, having a supportive partner by our side can really help.
And it looks like actor Naomi Watts found exactly the type of partner she needed at just the right time.
Watts is currently touring and discussing her book, Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I'd Known About Menopause, which is part memoir and part guidebook for women entering unprecedented—and largely not-talked-about—territory.
During a recent appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Watts reflected back on the relationship she developed with her now-husband, Billy Crudup, "despite" already starting menopause when they met, and she admitted there were some funny moments while they were getting to know one another.
Crudup and Watts met while filming the 2017 Netflix series Gypsy, during which the pair shared some intimate moments for the show. After a particularly intense scene, they exchanged a glance that made it clear that they both wanted more.
But at a later date when Watts and Crudup were preparing to have sex for the first time, Watts panicked because she was wearing a menopause patch as a form of hormonal therapy, which she'd been using for a few years.
Watts appeared frazzled while reflecting on this, recalling:
"I was mortified because I had my patch on. If anyone's ever worn a patch, you know that they're very sticky, and the adhesive takes ages to get off."
"I excused myself, ran off to the bathroom and panicked, like, 'What am I going to do?' And I was scratching away... I had a couple [gray, gummy outlines] on both sides, but I was taking too long."
"Then I came out, sort of frantic, and he said, 'Are you okay? Are you not in the mood?'"
"I said, 'No, well, look, I'm in menopause, and I have treatment, and I have this patch, and I'm wearing it, and it leaves this... I'm old. Should I just leave?'"
"I was trying my best to apologize, and I was shrinking myself down, and he was like, 'We're the same age. We're the same age. What is this? This is science. How can I help?"
You can watch the scene here:
After the pair further discussed the situation, Crudup made a joke that made the night all the more memorable for Watts.
Since she had shared a "secret," he decided to share one, too.
"Hey, if it makes you feel better, I've got gray hairs on my balls!"
Watts reflected on how the whole interaction made her feel.
"Those, to date, remain the most romantic words I've ever heard, onscreen and off, and that includes the script of every movie I've ever been in, and even this same man's very loving marriage proposal, which came seven years later."
Fans of Watts and Crudup were touched by the interaction, and some cited this as a new standard for men.
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Others were grateful that Watts was speaking so openly about an experience most women feel the need to keep quiet.
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You can see Watts' full chat with Barrymore below.
- YouTubeyoutu.be
Watts and Barrymore were also joined by fellow actor Brooke Shields to chat with Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz and Dr. Judith Joseph about their menopause and perimenopause journeys, which you can watch below.
- YouTubewww.youtube.com
- YouTubeyoutu.be
Though the moment is a mixture of funny and sweet, it's also such a great example of showing empathy for someone when they're feeling incredibly vulnerable and are unsure what to do.
While this shouldn't have to be a "gold standard" for how someone should behave, it's still nice to see celebrities opening up about these universal issues and showing the kindest ways to go about them.
