Naomi Watts Opens Up About Her 'Special Friendship' with Bill Murray: 'It Means the World' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Naomi Watts and Bill Murray.Photo:Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty; Michael Loccisano/WireImage

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty; Michael Loccisano/WireImage

Naomi Wattsis opening up about her bond with friend and costarBill Murray.

“It means the world. It’s very lovely, and we do have a very special friendship,” Watts, 55, tells PEOPLE of herThe Friendcostar Murray, 73, ahead of the movie’s premiere at the 2024Toronto International Film Festival. In the new movie, the pair play longtime friends in New York City. Watts' character is entrusted with the care of Murray’s character’s Great Dane after his sudden death.

“I love that this story centers around friendships. Because not many stories do. If it’s a relationship movie, it’s often romance or family dynamics,” Watts says. “And friendship is something that’s a very powerful thing. As you get older, it becomes more and more meaningful. So yeah, it makes sense. And I have that kind of friendship with Bill, too.”

Watts and Murray first worked together on the 2014 movieSt. Vincent.She jokes that she was cast inThe Friendsimply because the filmmakers also wanted to get Murray involved. “They mentioned his name, and at first I was like, ‘Oh, god, that’s why they called me. Because they want to get to Bill,’ " she says. “Because people know that I know him, and we’ve worked together. . . But when they said that, it just was an aha moment and I couldn’t see it any other way. I was determined, so I made the call.”

Bill Murray and Naomi Watts on Aug. 30, 2024.Vivien Killilea/Getty

Vivien Killilea/Getty

Aside from Watts and Murray, the movie from filmmakers Scott McGehee and David Siegel also stars Sarah Pidgeon, Carla Gugino, Constance Wu, Nova Dumezweni, Ann Dowd, Felix Solis, Owen Teague andBing the Great Dane.

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Naomi Watts and Bill Murray on Aug. 31, 2024.Paul Best/Getty

Paul Best/Getty

Watts and Murray’s new movie is based on authorSigrid Nunez’s 2018 novel of the same name.The Friendmade its world premiere at the 2024Telluride Film Festival.

source: people.com