Naomi Watts is proving to be one of the most versatile actresses around. In the past few years she’s acted opposite a giant monkey, taken on Japanese horror figures, and shown time and again that she doesn’t have to be glamorous. Because of that diversity, when the actress suddenly turns to serious drama it doesn’t feel as much like an Oscar bid as it just feels like her branching out in another direction.
Watts next announced film certainly looks to be made of the stuff the Academy loves however. According to Variety, the star has been announced to star in an adaptation of We Are All the Same, the story of a white South African woman who adopts a black child with AIDS and then begins to raise awareness by traveling the world. If the plot doesn’t sound heavy handed enough, it’s being adapted by Keir Pearson, one of the writers behind Hotel Rwanda and the original story came from “Nightline” correspondent Jim Wooten in 2004.
As overbearing as the plot sounds, I have to admit Watts could really use some serious drama for a change. While she was fantastic in King Kong, I Heart Huckabees, and The Ring movies, the truth is that actors can sadly lose credibility if they don’t put in an occasional appearance on the dramatic side. Watts deserves to be seen. As long as she maintains her diversity, I won’t pass any sort of judgement for her putting in what would be an obvious bid for an award in most other actresses’ careers.
