British-Aussie actress Naomi Watts and her husband Billy Crudup are known for being notoriously private, but the two may have to step into the limelight at the upcoming 76th Emmy Awards to celebrate each other’s achievements.
The hard-working couple are both nominated for Emmy Awards in different categories – Watts is nominated for Best Lead Actress in a Limited Series for her performance in Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, while Crudup is nominated for the third time for his role in The Morning Show, for the Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series category.
The famously private pair had been dating since 2017, after working together on the Netflix series Gypsy, and have been smitten ever since.
READ MORE: Naomi Watts confirms marriage to Billy Crudup after teasing fans
In celebration of their double-nomination we’re looking back on their relationship timeline, from the moment they met to walking down the aisle, and post-marital bliss.
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Running in the same circles, circa 2000s
Watts and Crudup ran in similar circles in Hollywood for years and crossed paths several times before their relationship ever became romantic.
Photos from 2009 show the pair sitting together at a Broadway party, alongside Watts’ then-partner Liev Schreiber and actress Eva Mendes.
Watts shares two children with Schreiber, Alexander ‘Sasha’ Pete, born in 2007, and Samuel Kai, born in 2008. Watts and Schreiber dated for over a decade before parting ways in 2016.
Crudup also has a child from a previous relationship. He shares son William Atticus with his former partner actress Mary-Louise Parker, who he dated until 2003.
He made headlines when he split from Parker while she was six months pregnant and began a romance with actress Claire Danes, who he dated until 2006.
On-screen romance in Gypsy, 2017
Watts and Crudup starred as a married couple in the 2017 series Gypsy, where Watts played a therapist who had a habit of getting too involved in the lives of her patients.
WATCH: Gypsy on Netflix starring Naomi Watts and Billy Crudup
Though the couple’s on-screen counterparts had plenty of issues in their relationship, behind the scenes romance seemed to blossom between the actors.
After the series hit Netflix, they were spotted out together in New York City and by July 2017 they had confirmed they were officially dating.
The confirmation came not long after Watts told Vogue Australia she was “single” and focusing on coparenting her two children with ex Schreiber.
“Liev and I are on great terms and we’re trying to do our absolute best for the sake of the children, and we hope to keep moving forward in that way,” she said at the time.
“He’s [a] fantastic dad, a wonderful, wonderful man, and we still want the absolute best for each other. So, that’s pretty much all I’ll say.”
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Keeping their love life private, 2018
The couple chose to keep their romance out of the spotlight from the get-go.
In February they were seen leaving a BAFTA afterparty in London holding hands and Watts later attended the opening night of Crudup’s one-man off-Broadway show Harry Clarke.
Her appearance was very low-key and when reporters asked Crudup about their romance that he made a point of “not commenting publicly” about his personal life.
“I don’t particularly see the advantage of people knowing too much about me if I’m constantly trying to trick them into thinking I’m someone else,” he told Entertainment Tonight.
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Crudup’s awards speech nods to Watts, 2020
Though Crudup and Watts like to keep things private, the actor couldn’t resist thanking his partner while accepting a Critic’s Choice Award in 2020.
He snagged the best supporting actor win for his performance in The Morning Show, an Apple TV+ series he starred in alongside Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston.
“Thanks to them and … my son and my friends and family and Naomi and everybody, so thanks a lot,” he said as he accepted the award, according to People.
Crudup also gave a shoutout to Watts’ children Sasha and Kai alongside his own son William when he won an Emmy for the same role months later.
Making it red carpet official, 2022
The couple had been dating for more than four years when they finally hit the red carpet together for the first time at the 2022 Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Watts stunned in a sequined navy gown, which Crudup complemented with navy accents in his own outfit for the February awards ceremony.
Later in the year they took to the red carpet as a couple again for the Emmys, where Crudup let his leading lady take the spotlight in a black Prada gown with a white train.
Behind the scenes, they attended InStyle editor-in-chief Laura Brown’s wedding reception together and Crudup became more involved with Watts’ kids.
In June he joined Watts, her ex Schreiber and his new girlfriend Taylor Neisen to celebrate Kai graduating school. Talk about a blended family!
Engagement rumours, early 2023
Watts became more public with her romance with Crudup on Instagram in 2022 and 2023, sharing selfies together to celebrate milestones like his birthday and Valentine’s Day.
She then sparked engagement rumours when she appeared with a glittering ring on her left hand in April, though she avoided questions about the rock.
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“My eye is hurting. There’s a big glint coming from some ring over here,” Today Show USA host Hoda Kotb joked when Watts appeared on the show that month.
“Hoda is asking if you’re engaged,” Kotb’s co-host Savannah Guthrie added, but Watts just laughed and quipped about “brain fog” while evading the question.
Watts and Crudup say “I do”, June 2023
When photos emerged of the loved-up pair arriving home to their New York City apartment wearing formal outfits and matching rings on June 9, fans were convinced they’d wed.
Watts confirmed she and Crudup had tied the knot in an Instagram post days later, where she announced they were “Hitched!” and shared photos from the ceremony.
She wore a lace Oscar de la Renta Sweetheart Water Lilly Guipure Dress for the special day and confessed that she picked up her understated bouquet from a local deli.
Crudup wore a navy suit and a huge smile in the photos Watts shared, as well as a single white flower pinned to his lapel to match Watts’ bouquet.
Their news sent the internet into overdrive and famous friends flocked to congratulate them, including Watts’ ex Schreiber who commented on her Instagram: “Congratulations!!! Gorgeous!!!”
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