Naomi Watts and Billy Crudup kept them very quiet to start their relationship and waited 50 years before they walked the red carpet together. They then surprised everyone at their New York City court wedding. And then, a year later, we had our second wedding!
The couple knew each other for years before being cast as a couple in Netflix’s short-lived series Gypsy. However, those roles changed the course of their friendship. This is the complete timeline of romance so far.
November 2009
According to Broadway World, which raised funds for the New York City public school arts education program, Watts and Cladup reportedly met almost a decade ago before they began dating.
At the time, Watts was in a relationship with Leaf Schreiber, and she welcomed two children, Alexander and Kai.
September 2016
Watts and Schreiber announced in September 2016 that they split together 11 years later. They read, “Over the past few months, we have concluded that the best way for us as a family is to separate as a couple.”
They continued. “We look forward to the love, respect and friendship in our hearts raising our children and exploring this new stage of our relationship. We ask our children to be mindful of our curiosity and support, and to respect their right to privacy.”
That same month, Watts and Crab Up were reunited when they began filming Netflix’s Gypsy, where they were cast as husband and wife.
March 2017
Watts and Club Up were first romantically linked in the spring of 2017. They were spotted on what looked like a New York City date and grabbed a sushi lunch together.
May 2017
They kept their budding relationship quiet for a while. In fact, Watts told Red Magazine that she hadn’t dated at all, months after she and Cladup were first seen together.
“Now I’m in a place where I’m soothing and want to protect my family unit. So far I’ve done a pretty good job,” she shares. “(Dating) seems totally frivolous and counterproductive, but for now it’s not in my world.”
She then called herself a “single” while talking to Vogue Australia.
“I mean, I’m single, I’m co-friendly. I’m fine,” she said.
June 2017
Crudup also shared his date status around that time in an interview with Porter.
“Acting has a lot of pressure…it’s hard to maintain everything in your relationship,” he said. “My son is part-time with me, so if I’m not working, I’ll be with him. And I have a great group of friends in New York. But when I’m involved, I’m certainly happy.
July 2017
Watts and Club Up were seen together again in New York in July 2017. Witnesses saw them at a Tribeca restaurant and said, “Naomi Watts and Billy Cradup walked hand in hand. I didn’t know they were a couple.
The witness added, “They looked happy and laughed a lot before they grabbed their hands again and left.”
February 2018
In February 2018, the couple attended a Bafatas afterparty in Vogue in London, where they were reportedly seen holding their hands as they left.
March 2018
Watts took part in the opening of Harry Clark, a solo play for Clad Up in New York on March 18, 2018 at the Minnetta Lane Theatre.
Crudup spoke about the show on Entertainment Tonight and declined to comment on Watts. He said, “I’m trying to make it not publicly comment on my personal life. If I’m always trying to think of someone else, I don’t particularly see the advantages of people knowing me.”
January 2020
Crudup thanked Watts at the 25th Critics Choice Awards for his role in the Morning Show, accepting the award for the best supporter actor. He said, “Thank you to them and to my son and my friends and family, Naomi and everyone.
September 2020
He thanked her again after winning an Emmy Award for the same role in September 2020, and thanked her children for his acceptance speech.
“And to the young people of my life: save my shining son, Will, my nephew, and all my temples, Sasha and Kai, us,” he said. “Sorry for asking. I love you, thank you.”
May 2021
The couple was photographed walking their dogs in New York City and sharing their conversations with laughter.
June 2021
They were again seen in early June with the puppy wearing masks.
February 2022
Watts and Crudup debuted the red carpet together for five years at the 2022 SAG Awards in Santa Monica. Crudup was nominated for his role in the morning show.
April 2022
Watts and Club Up were dates for each other at the wedding of former Hawaiian Instyle editor-in-chief Laura Brown. Watts posted a photo on Instagram. She captioned them. “We worshiped romance, found the light, burned the dance floor, drank, and we didn’t regret it. Congratulations to the beautiful couple.”
June 2022
Watts and Schreiber joined Crudup to celebrate their young child Kai’s graduation from junior high school in June 2022.
In the caption, I used the hashtag #ModernFamily.
July 2022
For Crudup’s 54th birthday, the actress shares their selfies from a trip to Paris and writes “Happy Birthday My Love”.
September 2022
Watts joined Club Up at the 74th Emmy Awards and was again nominated for a role in the Morning Show. She posted several Instagram photos from the event, saying, “For Flock @prada!
In her second post, she shared those photos together, saying, “What a night… what a dress… what a gentleman…
October 2022
Watts and Crudup “target menopause-related symptoms from the scalp to the VAG” at a party celebrating the release of her Wellness Brand, Stripes,” she said, according to an interview with Instyle.
They also attended the 29th Women’s Celebration of Hollywood Celebrations, held at the Getty Center in Los Angeles on October 17th.
December 2022
They were guests at UNICEF Wintergala in St. Barth on December 29th.
February 2023
Watts was a clad up date at the Hello Tomorrow premiere.
April 2023
The engagement rumours sparked in late April 2023 when Watts was seen wearing what looked like a diamond ring on his left hand.
June 2023
On June 9th, Page 6 reported that the couple could get married after seeing the photographer wearing matching rings. On June 10th, Watts announced his marriage, sharing photos of them on the steps of a Manhattan courthouse, with the caption “I hitched! 🕊️🪢♥!”
She wore a long sleeveless dress with white lace overlays and a square neckline from Oscar de la Renta, while the con man wore a navy suit.
The source said, “They love dating various restaurants. They often bike around New York and hang out on the beaches of Hampton with their friends. Naomi always smiles with Billy.”
August 2023
While promoting stripes at a wellness event at Hampton Bayes, Watts shared some details of her and Clad Up’s intimate life. She said communication is very helpful, especially in the bedroom.
“Whatever that is, if you can talk to your partner and take away your awkwardness…and most of the time, if they’re good people, they’ll relate,” she said. “And it’s hot. It’s really hot when you’re honest and the conversation really works.”
September 2023
The couple sat beside actor Sam Rockwell and his partner Leslie Bibb to attend the US Open.
January 2024
The couple enjoyed the Golden Globes in Los Angeles.
June 2024
A year after their legal wedding, Watts and Club Up held their second ceremony and celebration in Mexico City. The actress’s brother, Ben Watts, shared a clip of the event where Watts can be seen in a stunning white dress.
July 2024
Watts shared another European holiday photo for Cladup’s birthday.
September 2024
Watts and Club Up were nominated for the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards, Role in Watts’ Feud: Capote vs. Swans. Crudup has won outstanding support actors in the Morning Show drama series. He praised Watts in his acceptance speech.
“It’s an incredible honor. Thank you very much,” he said. “I’m happy to be here with my eye-opening candy there. My wife happens to be an immigrant and again this year we’ve given her nominated burning performance, and she’s also starting a business.
Watts shared a photo of her kissing him on the cheek as he embraced the statue of Emmy and wrote in the caption, “I’m proud of your Billy.”
That same month, Watts celebrated her birthday by playing “hubsters” and pickleballs.
January 2025
The two walked the red carpet at the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards.
June 2025
They attended Anti-Alan’s opening night at Studio Seaview Theatre on June 11th.
August 2025
The pair laughed on the red carpet at the Venice International Film Festival.
September 2025
On September 4th, the couple went to the premiere of Tasks at the Perelman Performing Arts Center in New York.
Watts joined the Clad Up at the Season 4 premiere of the Morning Show held at the Museum of Contemporary Art on September 9th.
