In life, in love and at work, age shouldn’t really matter, says Naomi Watts (54). She just got her great love Billy Crudup (54) after six years of relationship married, seems incredibly happy.
But there were other times in the life of the actress. When she hit menopause at just 36 years old, it threw her completely off balance.
“Going into menopause at such a young age wasn’t easy, especially at a time when there was so little information about it,” the 54-year-old told The Daily Mail Magazine “Hello!”.
“Mood swings, night sweats and migraines…I felt like I was out of control,” says Watts.
In addition: “I had these voices in the back of my head that reminded me of old women being sent to the sidelines,” recalls the acting star (“Mulholland Drive,” “21 Grams,” “The Impossible”). And: “I am firmly convinced that the transition would have been easier for me if menopause had not been such a taboo when I first got it experienced symptoms.”
Naomi Watts is an internationally acclaimed actress. Here she poses at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival
After all, the early hormonal changes also helped her to feel more free: “This journey led me to a deeper understanding of myself and in the end I felt more authentic,” she said. “There was a lot of freedom in self-awareness.”
She herself was still “part of a cycle” that “absolutely had to be broken,” says Naomi Watts, explaining the reason why she is now speaking so openly and personally about the subject. “I’m so passionate about raising awareness and encouraging more honest conversations.”
Naomi Watts at a fashion show in Paris in July
Naomi is confident about what the future holds for older women, including in Hollywood.
“I’m proud to still be working,” says the 54-year-old. While in the past one was almost forced to retire “when one was just over 40”, “the realization that women’s stories do not end at a certain age is becoming more common”.
“Menopause can take up a significant part of a woman’s life – for some people it can take over a decade. Why isn’t it worth writing stories about?” asks Naomi.
Naomi Watts and Billy Crudup tied the knot in a civil wedding in Manhattan, New York City in June. The Australian native shared several photos of the ceremony on Instagram
“A woman’s story is interesting at every stage”
Even if there is more and more progress and education, there is still a lot to be done so that the topic of menopause is “appropriately represented” in the film. She is certain: “A woman’s story is interesting in every phase. The longer life, the deeper it becomes.”
And Watts believes that the topic shouldn’t be taboo for your partner, friends, job or family either. “The most valuable step in any relationship, partnership, work or family life is to just be open and honest about what you’re going through. Most of the time, this gives people a chance to be empathetic and know how to respond. Also, it takes a lot more effort to hide.”
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