'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQF/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwX/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMmAO7//xAAgEAAABQQDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMTIQAEERIFBiJB/9oACAEBAAE/AD94OhcWHHjabidwXN8a4gY+0+qp7aS9TJjV/8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAh/9oACAECAQE/AA2//8QAFhEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARC/9oACAEDAQE/AFaP/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Hollywood can be a hard and cruel place for most newcomers, and things were hardly different for Naomi Watts, who moved to LA at a young age to pursue her passion for acting. However, she could not fully break into the industry until her defining role in Mulholland Drive, helmed by veteran director David Lynch. The movie remains a classic even today.
Although Naomi Watts was taking on various roles in the late 1980s, her career did not gain momentum until the recently deceased director, David Lynch, saw something special in her and gave her a chance in what would become a historically iconic movie and role.
Watts discussed the difficulties she faced before Mulholland Drive catapulted her to stardom in an interview with Social Life magazine in 2018. She said:
"That was a pretty rough time in my life. I felt very lonely and isolated and I would often be sitting by myself in cafés and spend a lot of time by myself. It was a strange experience that I went through. I still wonder how that happened to me because I love being sociable and spending time with people."
Trending
In the same interview, Naomi Watts revealed how David Lynch's influence was instrumental in ending her struggles in Los Angeles.
"L.A. is just a tough place if you’re not working and you’re not successful"— Naomi Watts on her days before Mulholland Drive
A movie like Mulholland Drive can change the career path of most actors, and for young Naomi Watts, it was no different. Despite moving to Los Angeles and starting her career in the late 1980s, Watts struggled to find her footing and often ended up with relatively minor roles or major roles in smaller productions.
Her claim to fame and big breakthrough came from David Lynch's iconic work, where he decided to give her a chance, something she called "the chance of a lifetime." Describing this phase of her life, she said:
"L.A. is just a tough place if you’re not working and you’re not successful. Until David Lynch gave me the chance of a lifetime, I was just lurching from one job to another hoping to have enough money not to worry about paying the rent. I was lucky, though."
What Watts described resonates with many struggling artists across Los Angeles, who often face the harsh realities of their pursuits, despite their best efforts, many remain unfulfilled.
For Naomi Watts, things moved in the right direction after Mulholland Drive, as she went on to establish herself as one of the most prominent names in Hollywood, with roles in movies like The Ring (2002), I Heart Huckabees (2004), King Kong (2005), While We're Young (2015), The Glass Castle (2017), and 21 Grams (2003).
She has also worked extensively in television since then, including in David Lynch's iconic Twin Peaks (2017).
David Lynch is credited with kickstarting several careers with his films. The veteran director passed away yesterday at the age of 78. Tributes have been pouring in from all around the world for the immense loss.
