Watts and Crudup first met on the set of their Netflix series "Gypsy" in 2017. Although sparks flew immediately, the couple kept their relationship under wraps for years, not making their red carpet debut until 2022. In 2023, they sparked rumors of a engagement. , which they later confirmed by announcing that they were married.

Now, in her recently published book, Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I'd Know about Menopause, Naomi Watts reflects on her past. The "King Kong" actress recalls Billy Crudup's cheeky comment about his testicles that comforted and amused her during the early stages of their romance.

In her recently published book, Watts spoke about an early and vulnerable time in her relationship with Crudup. At the time, she had just started menopausal hormone therapy and was wearing an estrogen patch to relieve symptoms.

"I was worried that if he saw (the patch), he would understand that it meant I was in menopause: I was no longer a living, fertile being," she wrote, per Page Sixadmitting that she felt self-conscious about the sticky marks left on her skin.

On one occasion, as the couple prepared for an intimate evening at Crudup's, Watts spent a significant amount of time rubbing her skin "raw" in the bathroom, desperate to remove any trace of the band-aid. When Crudup asked if everything was okay, she finally admitted that she was worried about menopause.

Instead of reacting with discomfort, Crudup surprised her with empathy and humor. “A smile crossed his face. He seemed relieved that the problem wasn't a lack of desire,” Watts said. He reassured her by saying, “I think it's great that you're taking care of yourself. How can I help?"

To further lighten the mood, the "Morning Show" star shared her own experience with aging, saying, "Hey, if it makes you feel better: I have gray hair on my balls."

Watts revealed that the unexpected quip left her laughing and feeling relaxed. "To this day, they remain the most romantic words I've ever heard on or off screen," she joked in the book. "And that includes the scripts of every movie I've ever been in, and even the gracious marriage of this same man, which came seven years later."

Naomi Watts almost left Hollywood before her longtime friend and collaborator David Lynch cast her in the cult noir "Mulholland Drive" from 2001.

The Oscar-nominated actress opened up about her struggles and Lynch's pivotal role in her career during an appearance on "Live With Kelly and Mark" on Tuesday. Lynch, who died last week at the age of 78, was not only instrumental in Watts' professional breakthrough, but also in keeping her in America to pursue her Hollywood dreams.

Watts revealed that before she was cast in "Mulholland Drive," she was on the verge of returning to Australia, where she began her acting career after moving from the United Kingdom as a child. "I wouldn't have stayed if I hadn't met David Lynch," said the 56-year-old actress. "The ropes have fallen, it's been 10 years since the failed auditions."

While promoting her new nonfiction book, "Dare I Say It," Watts explained her frustration with her stalled career at the time. Despite landing roles in the 1995 comic adaptation "Tank Girl" and the 1996 horror sequel "Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering," she struggled to find consistent work.

"Nothing was happening," she admitted. “I was literally alienating people. I was making them uncomfortable because I was like, 'I need a job! I need a job!' So much so that my agent at the time said, 'You're too intense. You're making people uncomfortable.'” Watts described feeling desperate and repeatedly considering giving up on her Hollywood dreams.

At this low point, Lynch stepped in.

Watts said how the unique process of selecting a filmmaker stood out to her.

"David Lynch invited me and he has a very different way of acting. He sat me down and just looked me in the eyes and asked me," she said. Although she initially doubted herself, thinking, "I'm not funny, I'm not sexy, I'm too old," Lynch's perspective was transformative. “He just saw me and was able to lift these facets.”

Shortly after their meetings, Watts was cast in the movie "Mulholland Drive." The role became a defining moment in her career, earning her critical acclaim and catapulting her to stardom. Watts credits Lynch not only with the professional opportunity but also with becoming a "true mentor and friend."