Naomi Watts opens up on ‘terrifying’ LA moment

Star Aussie actress Naomi Watts has spoken for the first time about her terrible experience in Los Angeles.

Naomi Watts. Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Naomi Watts has opened up about the “terrifying” few weeks she spent in Los Angeles amid the California wildfires.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, the 56-year-old actress revealed she was alone inside her $US6 million ($A9.5 million) Brentwood mansion after her husband, Billy Crudup, flew back to New York shortly before the deadly blazes broke out.

The “Birdman” star said she was consumed with “fear” watching the Palisades Fire tearing toward her home while her 56-year-old spouse was kilometres away at their Manhattan property.

“Terrifying is how I’d describe the past couple of weeks in Los Angeles,” the Oscar nominee said.

“My house here was on the edge of evacuation zones as fires neared, and we lost power.”

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Naomi Watts has opened up about her “terrifying” couple of weeks in Los Angeles after she was trapped in her California property alone as the wildfires ravaged the area. Picture: Instagram

The 56-year-old “Birdman” star was consumed by “fear” during the wildfires, while her husband, Billy Crudup, was back in their New York City pad. Picture: Getty Images

Although Watts and Crudup live primarily in their Manhattan home, the actress said that they had spent several months residing in her “old L.A. home” while they were both busy filming in the city.

However, Crudup’s project wrapped before Watts’ — so he made his way back to the Big Apple, while she stayed behind to finish working.

“My husband and I live full-time in New York, but for the past few months we were staying in my old house in L.A., which is part Spanish and part contemporary,” she shared.

“When Billy finished filming, before the fires started, he returned to our duplex loft in Manhattan. I remained to complete my filming.”

Watts explained that she readied her property as best she could to withstand damage from the flames, before gathering her essential items to take with her in the event she needed to evacuate.

“As the threat intensified in L.A., I took down all my outdoor umbrellas and trimmed back a tree in my backyard as a precaution,” she said.

“Then I packed up all my documents and valuables and put them in a safe space.”

The “King Kong” star was forced to wait as the flames tore through her surrounding neighbourhoods, spreading out from Pacific Palisades through Malibu and into Santa Monica, burning tens of thousands of acres.

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It’s thought that Watts was staying in a $US6 million Brentwood property that she purchased back in 2004. Picture: Supplied

In the end, Watts said her home was spared from the devastating destruction — noting that the flames “didn’t advance” close enough to her property to require an evacuation.

“Thankfully, I was fortunate, though the threat isn’t over yet,” she added.

“What I experienced is nothing compared with the families who lost homes and what they’re going through now. My heart goes out to them.”

The “Mulholland Drive” actress left California with her dog on January 12 and she headed back to New York City to reunite with her husband.

After she left, she shared a snap of her home on Instagram, which was surrounded by plumes of smoke.

She captioned the photo: “My heart is breaking — thinking of everyone affected by these horrible fires. It’s scary out there. Stay safe, guys.”

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Watts left California and headed to New York City to reunite with her. Picture: Instagram

The actress shares children Sasha, 17 and Kai, 16, with her former partner of 11 years, Liev Schreiber, (pictured) whom she split with in 2016. Picture: Dan MacMedan/WireImage

In 2015, she and her ex sold their home in the Hamptons (pictured) and purchased a different one in the vacation spot. Picture: Realtor

Although Watts did not reveal which Los Angeles property she was staying in when the fires broke out, she is still understood to own a sprawling five-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom abode in Brentwood, which she purchased for $US4.2 million back in 2004.

According to Realtor, that same home is now worth upward of $US6.3 million ($A10 million). The property offers many amenities, including a “secluded pool area” and elegant interiors.

The actress shares children Sasha, 17 and Kai, 16, with her former partner of 11 years, Liev Schreiber, whom she split with in 2016.

Watts lived in the house with her ex-partner for at least a few years — although she has made multiple attempts to sell the home, listing it for just a hair under $US6 million back in 2010, before switching gears and offering it up as a rental.

Her latest rental listing was removed in January 2024 — meaning the house may well have been vacant for her and Crudup to use while they were filming.

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Watts holds the keys to a stunning Manhattan loft as well as her L.A. home.

Her NYC loft marked her second buy in New York; she previously owned a space with her ex. She sold that home in 2015 for $US5.85 million.

Following the sale, the former couple forked over $US5.4 million for a Montauk, New York home; however, it is unclear if they still own the abode or which of the exes resides there.

Watts joined the growing list of stars who were impacted by the California wildfires, with Jessica Simpson, Tyra Banks, Paris Hilton, Matt Damon, Miles Teller, Billy Crystal, and Adam Brody and Leighton Meester being just some of the A-listers who lost or were forced to evacuate their homes.

Parts of this story first appeared in Realtor and was republished with permission.

Originally published as Naomi Watts opens up on ‘terrifying’ LA moment