Naomi Watts recalls embarrassing first time with husband Billy Crudup: 'I'm old... should I just leave?'

Naomi Watts is not only getting candid about her menopause journey but also her tender relationship with husband Billy Crudup.

The Mulholland Drive star is currently celebrating the release of her memoir, Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I'd Known About Menopause, and she stopped by The Drew Barrymore Show to share some of the heartfelt (and occasionally embarrassing) insights from the book. Among the memories was her first sexual encounter with Crudup.

"I'm not going to embarrass him and talk about it in depth on live TV, but I was mortified because I had my patch on," Watts began, referencing the transdermal skin patches used to treat particular symptoms of menopause. "If anyone's ever worn a patch, you know that they're very sticky, the adhesive takes ages to get off."

She continued, "In fact, my first doctor that told me to wear the patch said just use car oil, that'll be fine. And I'm like, 'I don't want to use car oil on my body.'"

Watts explained that she decided to just pull it off as best she could and let the inevitably "nasty mark" left by the adhesive remain on her skin. But she later regretted that choice when it came time to spend a night with Crudup.

"I excused myself, ran off to the bathroom and panicked, like, 'What am I gonna do?," she recalled. "And I'm scratching away—"

"Because you've got the gray, gummy outline?" Barrymore interjected.

"Yes! I probably [had] a couple of them on both sides," Watts replied. "And I was in there too long, and then came out sort of like that, frantic, and he said, ‘Are you okay, are you not in the mood?’"

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Watts then reenacted her embarrassed response, with her head in her hands. "I said 'No, I just, well, look, I'm in menopause and I have treatment and I have this patch and I'm wearing it and it leaves this… I'm old, should I just leave?’"

But not only was Crudup unfazed, he immediately offered his assistance.

Watts said, "I was trying my best to apologize and I was shrinking and he was like, ‘We’re the same age. We're the same age. What is this? This is science. How can I help?’"

When Barrymore and the crowd reacted with awe, Watts nodded, adding, "Now you're melting. That's what happened to me."

Barrymore went on to praise the actress for her bravery in that moment. "You didn't hide it, you came out with it and I think with truth comes the light."

Watts couldn't agree more. "It's freeing," she shared. "It's so freeing. Truth can be so liberating. People fear that when they get to this point that the sex is gonna be over, and for some, it is true that your libido goes down. You can get support for things like that. But I just encourage women to get the communication going. Be honest, tell them what you're going through. Most of the time people wanna help."

She added, "Don't carry the secret or the shame by yourself."

Crudup and Watts have been linked since 2017 but did not make their official red carpet debut as a couple until 2022. They tied the knot in June 2023.

Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I'd Known About Menopause is available in stores now.