Naomi Watts has announced her memoir, Dare I say it, but it’s her story, with a twist.
The Australian actress shared the news with fans via social media, revealing the very personal project has been 14 months in the making and follows years of “shame and secrecy”.
“This is a book about how my life turned upside down when I was told I was close to menopause at the age of 36, right when I was ready to start a family,” the now 55-year-old wrote alongside a shot of the book cover.
READ MORE: Strictly Come Dancing dancer says the show saved her life
“I thought this was the end of everything. Certainly my fertility and career — boom.”
At the time, in 2005, the actress has just finished filming the movie king kong and was dating her first husband, actor Liev Schreiber, who she went on to have two children with in 2007 and 2008.
“As I struggled through shame and secrecy, I wished there was an open conversation, a handbook I could secretly turn the pages of,” she said of her struggles at the time.
“Sadly there were no real resources. Not even well-versed doctors.
READ MORE: Jerry Seinfeld and wife Jessica become empty nesters
“I stayed quiet for as long as I could,” she added about writing the book.
Watts, who is now married to actor Billy Crudup, has been vocal on social media about reducing the stigma around the natural process, which until recent years has been a taboo topic.
The Aussie actress even recently launched the skincare brand Stripes, which features a range of products specifically designed for women going through peri-menopause and menopause.
Watts, who counts Nicole Kidman as one of her closest friends, teased the potential for celebrity cameos through the book but it’s not known who has taken part.
The actress said she hopes the memoir will give women the “chance to feel empowered through the conversations I’ve had with doctors and experts and to feel a little less alone by hearing my story and convos with my girlfriends”.
“I can’t wait to share this with you all,” she signed off in the lengthy caption.
For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here,
Publishers Crown, who are part of Penguin Random House and also published Michelle Obama’s the light we carrypraised the actress for the “irreverent, bold, and reassuring” look at “the physical and emotional challenges we encounter as we age”.
“Like sitting down over coffee and having an intimate chat with your girlfriend, Dare I Say It blends funny and poignant stories from Naomi and her friends with advice from doctors, hormone experts, and nutritionists to take the secrecy and shame out of menopause and aging,” the press release said.
The book will be released in January 2025.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.
