Naomi Watts, one of her generation's most talented and award-winning actresses, will receive the Donostia Award on Saturday 19 September at a gala in the Kursaal, where the acclaimed actress and producer will introduce the feature film The Housewife, directorial debut from the Canadian Ben Shirinian.

Watts combines independent films with big productions on both the big and the small screen. She has received Academy Award nominations twice: for her role in Alejandro González Iñárritu's 21 Grams (2003), and for J.A. Bayona's The Impossible (Official Selection out of competition, 2012).

She achieved international fame thanks to Mulholland Drive (2001), by David Lynch, a performance ranked among the finest in contemporary cinema. She has also worked with filmmakers including Peter Jackson, David Cronenberg, Clint Eastwood, Michael Haneke, Audrey Diwan, Noah Baumbach and Rodrigo García, with whom she came to San Sebastián in 2009 to close the Official Selection out of competition with Mother & Child.

The Housewife, the Donostia Award Screening, the debut feature from Ben Shirinian stars Naomi Watts, Tye Sheridan, Luke Evans, Michael Imperioli and Lena Olin. Set in 1964 and based on a true story, the film tells the tale of a young journalist who tracks down a potential Nazi officer living secretly in New York and befriends the suspect's charming wife. Prior to his debut in feature films, the Canadian director penned short films including Lost in Motion (2012), Lost in Motion 2 (2013) and Josef et Aimée (2015). 

Naomi Watts biography

Naomi Watts is one of the most respected and accomplished actresses of her generation. Renowned for her fearless performances and remarkable emotional range, she has built an extraordinary career spanning film, television, and production, earning two Academy Award nominations, an Emmy nomination, and numerous honors from the industry's most prestigious organizations. Beyond acting, Watts is an accomplished producer, entrepreneur, and advocate whose work has helped redefine conversations around women's health. In 2025, she added bestselling author to her list of accomplishments with Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I'd Known About Menopause, published by Crown, which debuted as a New York Times bestseller.

Watts earned her first Emmy Award nomination for her acclaimed portrayal of Babe Paley in Ryan Murphy's Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, the second installment of FX's acclaimed anthology series. Her nuanced transformation earned widespread critical praise, as well as Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award nominations. Watts also served as an executive producer on the series, which received ten Emmy Award nominations.

She reunited with Ryan Murphy in Hulu's legal drama All's Fair, which she executive produces and stars in alongside Glenn Close, Sarah Paulson, Niecy Nash, Teyana Taylor, and Kim Kardashian. The series is currently in production on a second season. She also recently starred in Murphy's FX anthology Love Story, portraying Jackie Kennedy, and guest starred in Lena Dunham's Netflix romantic comedy series Too Much.

On the big screen, Watts will next star opposite Tye Sheridan and Michael Imperioli in the psychological thriller The Housewife and in Cody Fern's feature length directorial debut Closing Night, opposite Sarah Paulson and Odessa A'zion. She will next play legendary dancer Margot Fonteyn in the romantic ballet drama Margot & Rudi. Most recently, she starred alongside Bill Murray in Scott McGehee and David Siegel's acclaimed adaptation of Sigrid Nunez's bestselling novel The Friend, which she also executive produced.

Watts received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for Alejandro G. Iñárritu's 21 Grams, opposite Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro. The performance also earned BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, along with numerous critics' awards. She received her second Academy Award nomination for J.A. Bayona's The Impossible, once again earning Golden Globe, SAG, Critics Choice, and numerous international honors. She later received a SAG Award nomination for St. Vincent opposite Bill Murray and appeared in Iñárritu's Academy Award-winning Best Picture Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance).

Her breakthrough performance came in David Lynch's landmark masterpiece Mulholland Drive, where her unforgettable dual performance as Betty Elms and Diane Selwyn established her as one of cinema's most compelling talents. The role earned Best Actress honors from the National Board of Review, the National Society of Film Critics, and numerous critics' organizations worldwide. More than two decades later, the performance continues to be regarded as one of the defining achievements of modern cinema, with The Ringer recently naming it the greatest film performance of the 21st century.

Watts has continued to balance acclaimed dramatic work with major studio films throughout her career. Her extensive film credits include Peter Jackson's King Kong; Gore Verbinski's The Ring and The Ring 2; David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises; Michael Haneke's Funny Games; Doug Liman's Fair Game; Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar; Noah Baumbach's While We're Young; Mother and Child, which earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination; The Painted Veil, We Don't Live Here Anymore, Adore, Luce, Ophelia, The Glass Castle, The Book of Henry, Infinite Storm, Goodnight Mommy, and Audrey Diwan's Emmanuelle. She has also served as a producer on several projects, including The Painted Veil, We Don't Live Here Anymore, Funny Games, Adore, 3 Generations, The Wolf Hour, and Penguin Bloom.

Her television work is equally distinguished, including starring roles in Netflix's The Watcher; Showtime's The Loudest Voice, portraying Gretchen Carlson opposite Russell Crowe; David Lynch's Twin Peaks: The Return; Netflix's Gypsy, which she also produced; and a memorable guest appearance on Netflix's BoJack Horseman.

Throughout her career, Watts has received numerous industry honors, including the Montecito Award from the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the Desert Palm Achievement Actress Award from the Palm Springs International Film Festival, ShoWest's Female Star of Tomorrow Award, the Hollywood Film Festival's Breakthrough Acting Award, and a career achievement tribute from the Deauville American Film Festival.

Born in England and raised in Australia, Watts began studying acting as a teenager before making her feature film debut in John Duigan's Flirting. She later produced and starred in the short film Ellie Parker, which premiered in competition at the Sundance Film Festival before being expanded into a feature.

Outside of entertainment, Watts is a passionate advocate for women's health and menopause awareness. In 2022, she founded Stripes Beauty, a science-backed wellness and beauty company dedicated to normalizing conversations around menopause while empowering women through education, community, and innovative products.