Naomi Watts steals the limelight

Watts stars as a grieving mother in 21 Grams

After acting for more than two decades, best actress nominee Naomi Watts is finally getting big-screen recognition to rival that of her long-time friend Nicole Kidman.

Her role as grieving, vengeful mother Cristina Peck in 21 Grams is the latest in a string of roles that have raised her profile over the past two years.

Although she grew up in Australia, Watts was actually born in Shoreham, Kent, on 28 September 1968.

Her father, Peter Watts, was a sound engineer for Pink Floyd. He died when Watts was just seven years old.

Acclaimed

She moved to Australia with her family when she was 14, and made her film debut four years later in the 1986 film romantic drama For Love Alone, which also starred Sam Neill and Hugo Weaving.

In 1991 she starred alongside Nicole Kidman and British actress Thandie Newton in the acclaimed drama Flirting.

Watts and Kidman were already friends, having met at a casting call for a commercial several years earlier.

In the same year she also made a brief detour to Summer Bay to star as Julie Gibson in the soap Home And Away.

Watts in Mulholland Drive with co-star Laura Harring

After her Hollywood debut in 1992's cult comedy Matinee, Watts worked regularly. But roles in the likes of 1995's Tank Girl, 1998's period drama Dangerous Beauty and horror sequel Children Of The Corn IV did little to raise her profile.

Steamy

She said in a recent interview that seeing Kidman's rise to fame encouraged her.

"Sometimes I would think wow, Nicole's gotten all these great things. But instead of abusing myself and self-destructing I was inspired by her. The fact we've come from the same place gave me hope for myself."

Her breakthrough eventually came in 1999 when she was cast in David Lynch's Mulholland Drive.

The film could not have come at a better time - not long before she was cast, Watts was considering quitting acting altogether to become a yoga instructor.

'Hectic'

The film led to her landing the lead in The Ring, the remake of a Japanese shocker about a videotape that kills those who watch it. Watts is set to reprise her role in the sequel, which is due for release later in 2004.

Other recent appearances have included the Merchant/Ivory comedy Le Divorce, alongside Kate Hudson, and Ned Kelly, which saw Watts share screen space with fellow Australian Heath Ledger.

The pair dated after starring in the film together but split up in late 2003, blaming "hectic work schedules".

And it looks as though her schedule is going to become even more hectic; not only does she have five films due for release in 2004 (including 21 Grams), but she is also being tipped to star in Peter Jackson's remake of King Kong.