Naomi Watts interviewed by Simon Mayo 

She sounded very uncomfortable right at the start of the interview.

Here after listening to this mentioned on the new show... oops!

Inexplicable - Simon is the soul of integrity.

Who else came here because of DVDOTWSBIB on April 5th's show? ;-)

Watts is a good actress and no fool, she got vexed because she KNOWS it's a crap film. She knows she would have been better off turning down the role but she did not and here she is, trying to defend it and not really prepared to. The director has said the reason the film got such a negative reaction in the UK is because 'we have not got over her death'. No, it's because his film sucks.

That clip looks like it's out of Causality

"Have you seen the film"? "Yes of course I've seen the film" "Oh"...

"We have to invent some of it to create something that's worth putting on film" says it all really, doesn't it?. Simon's questions were hardly Jeremy Paxman style were they? Watts sounds ill at ease before the interview got under way but she really should have considered that before getting involved in such an ill-advised turkey.

Good interview Simon. Naomi sounded as those she's regretting doing the film already. I'm looking forward to Marks review next week.

Sounded like she was caught off-guard by Simon's intelligent and valid questions. I suspect this was because she had done many interviews prior to Simon's where possibly the most taxing question was "what's your favourite member of One Direction."

feel bad for Mayo, he's the most polite interviewer in the business!

Wow, that was one of the most interesting interviews on this show I have seen. So much mystery!

She didn't sound like she wanted to be there from the off to be honest. I'm not sure it was anything specific Simon said.

She says she was struggling with the decision to do it before making it, and already at the start of the interview she sounds somewhat reticent. I suspect the disastrous reviews have convinced her that she's made a mistake. From what I've seen of the movie, it certainly doesn't look good; it looks like an over-the-top spoof of the Diana we saw during the Bashir interview. I suspect she might be on the defensive, and automatically assuming that everyone is attacking her, even when they're not.

The Cate Blanchett one the day after this was so good! The problem was not the interviewer, i dont get why Naomi acted like that

Its clear why the interview ended so abruptly. Mayo asked if she had permission to film outside Kensington Palace and she obviously didn't but, caught off guard for a moment, claimed she did. Then, realising that she was going to be caught in a lie, she ended the interview.

Having listened to the interview a few times, Ms Watts seems to be fairly defensive all the way through but it's the point where Simon mentions the fact that she called the press that she really gets very defensive and the tone changes. It goes downhill from there.

Blimey, if she found this interview uncomfortable it would be great to see her with Paxman.

I thought the questions were fair. No idea why she had a hissy fit.

Very strange. The only thing I could read into it was that Naomi was already feeling the pressure of the bad reviews of the film, which she took part in with the best of intentions, and went into the interview thinking she was going to be handed questions that were more pointed than usual, meaning she was already in a place to become upset. Maybe she then took Simon's questions about the film's accuracy, the "walking on egg shells" that exists in discussing Diana to this day or his curiosity about the filmmakers getting permission for filming certain aspects of the real story as him questioning the movie's authenticity or her own integrity in taking the role. Don't understand how that could be, as Simon wouldn't hurt a fly, but maybe she just isn't used to British dialects or speaking.

She saw Simon’s questions as passive aggressive, criticism of her work when Simon I’m sure definitely didn’t mean this to be so.. Seems to be a “Lost in translation” interview I think she also probably knew it wasn’t the best interpretation of Diana or Spencer either

I really don't hear any questions which are remotely controversial or "unprofessional", as suggested by the film's publicists.

True glimpse of a ‘star’ without a script. Truly out of her depth.

Listening to this after watching the review of the film. It really does just look like Naomi Watts in a wig!

'AND I WILL NOT NAME THEM.' Crikey.

I couldn't see anything wrong with the interview. In fact I was finding it quite interesting. Never mind Simon, you win some you loose some.

Hmmm. She says she battles anxiety around projects, could've been some 'wobblies' bubbling up on her.

'Mayo contends that a bbc producer was in the recording booth and witnessed the incident.' Well that's why she walked out then - there were three of us in this interview.

She felt threatened she was getting into some controversial areas.

At what point did he taunt her. He was asking her about,how she(Diana) courted the press,but we're told,she wanted privacy. You can't have it both ways. The hypocrisy stinks. You just cannot have it on your own terms and Diana's PR team,would've known that.

Ouch the end was so awkward

I think she was having an off day having realised all the negative reviews that the film has received thus far. Still, she must have expected some backlash. However, the questions asked by Mayo were reasonable, acceptable and therefor there was no reason to 'wind up' the interview. Just wind up the listeners. Great show by the way guys.

My word!

Where is my comment?

If only it had been filmed, would have loved to have seen Naomi's face :-)

only thing i can think of is that she felt embarassed that she said 'we got permission yes' before simon finished his question, and maybe just wanted to cut it off

Someone was evidently conferring with her in the background at 7m20 ('Can you hear the question?') and after 8m30...I have a feeling this was just a case of her stumbling her way through a bad connection and getting defensive as a result. I don't think anything in the questioning touched a nerve per se. I think she was just annoyed.

Can't you hear another woman's voice telling her time is up?

To me “were they happy and willing to speak to you” is a loaded question. There’s no way to say “no” to that without seeming like a creep. And then asked if they got permission to shoot outside Kensington Palace. Also implying that they didn’t. Totally understand why Watts thought this might be a hit piece interview.

Whatever it may have been, what I can't hear is any mis-step by Simon Mayo here. I would suggest anything else would be guesswork.

I think that Naomi perhaps thought that Simon was giving her a hard time. Pretty much every question could be interpreted as biting at the film in some small way, that doesn't excuse walking out, but I think maybe she wasn't expecting such a grilling...?

maybe she really needed the loo :) Seriously though actors are paid millions not just for the role but also to market the movie as well, surely by walking out they are breaking some kind of contractual agreement?

I think that perhaps she was already on a defensive hair trigger because she knows how bad this film is and is uncomfortable even talking about it.

She sounds pretty upset and or nervous. She comes off as someone in a job interview and has only just realised that she's applied for the wrong role.

I fail to see where Mayo acted "unprofessional" as has been claimed by Watts people. I've seen another interview with her talking about the film and she does seem very nervous and struggles to get her point across with any confidence. Now I don't know enough about her as a person to say if that's just how she is normally, or that it's the film, and the massive interest in it, that has put her on edge?

You are right, you can hear the voice of the woman, minute 9:55, Why would she walk out otherwise?, there wasn´t anything wrong in the questions neither the answers. I don´t understand the fuss, she was just as professional as the interviewer.

I wonder which will prove to be the shorter interview; this, or Mark's feted interview with Michael Bay for Transformers 4?

It's perhaps unfair to jump to conclusions, bearing in mind how mystifying it seems, so I would give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe an unforeseen medical thing, like a migraine? Either way it was an interesting interview.

Either that it was she was very sensitive when it comes to talking about flowers and Kensington Palace.... Yep, that was very odd indeed

Sometimes you can just tell an actor knows the film's a dud.

Richard Steandric · Top commenter · University Of Society 社会大学 It was not an interview, it was more like an interrogation. Any person or actor would have walked out. The 2 questions: 1/"Were they happy to speak to you?...." 2/"...filming outside Kensington Place, I presume you have permission..." were very offensive.

She seemed to get annoyed/on the defence when you made a comment about how the film showed Diana controlling the press, you were making a statement of fact but I think she took it in a more accusatory way...

Noticed the turn I.e the moment she went a little cold, but can't see why. Might have just been a result of feeling defensive and an expectation things were moving towards somewhere she didn't want to go?

Very unprofessional of Naomi to do that.

No problem

1st yess. But its ludicrous why she left she is just shying away from questions for no particular reason.

She spoke to nobody for insider information on Diana's relationship. That's PR-BS.

Well you can tell that Watts' confidence has been shaken and that she regrets taking on the role. Her performance in the interview was terrible; she comes across as having only a superficial understanding of the character she portrays, but I'm sure that she did have some insights, she just hasn't succeeded in translating them onto the screen. Mayo did his best, he was even complimentary, but the fact is it's a dud and there's no escaping that.

I don't know why you're surprised that she finished the interview. You were about to ask whether Kensington Palace were giving tacit approval of the film purely on the basis of them allowing Kensington Palace to appear in the film. How could she possibly answer that without causing a massive media outcry?

There was such mania about this person when she died, and such idolatry, that the whole country was temporarily (but effectively) overthrown by a totalitarian reaction to people who spoke against her. Papers wouldn't publish opposing articles, and there were actual journalists who'd been asked to take a week off to make way for mawkish Diana-supporters. Sentimental in the most feeble way, and quite worrying in terms of what rights were taken away as a result. The new Oscar bait looks like that.

This film should never have been made.

Sensationalising of a woman's awkwardness in the spotlight......

Whoever is doing the PR on this film, is doing a great job! *sarcasm*

Great interview Simon, a shame that Naomi seems perturbed in some way.

I would have loved to hear Christopher Hitchen's interview on this movie.

That was - um - weird?

Well, that is just bizarre isn't it. It sounds like she's been rumbled over filming permissions outside KP! Still; great listening while it lasted, Simon.

Hello my name is Naomi Donnelly... yes u did read right my name is really Naomi haha. I never listen to Radio 5 it just came up on RU-vid and decided to be noisy however I thought that was very rude her walking out on an interview I didn't find anything disrespectful from your side although we just don't know how Naomi was feeling as she didn't say maybe she didn't want to say on the radio although it did seem strange.

She sounds oddly upset throughout -- as if she is keeping the lid on some pretty unpleasant emotions. Emotions that clearly pre-date the interview.

Much ado about nothing here. Goodness gracious.

What an akward interview. The film received quite negative reviews from the British press, so maybe that's why she felt so umcomfortable...

'could we perhaps finish the interview. otherwise we can't use it?' - Goes on to publicise the interview anyway, in a pretty transparent attempt to make Watts look bad.

She was very defensive

She just may be the best actress in movies right now

How strange.

Mayo was digging for dirt and asked several awkward questions.

1980

Oh come on, this is a whole load of bluster. Simon and Mark, we know this film is awful, and she does too. That's why this is slightly awkward, just whatever.

Surely this should be entitled 'Nobody Watts interviewed by Simon Mayo'

You were asking questions that seemed like you were trying to stir the pot. - How much what we see do we know is true? - You spoke to friends to Diana to fill in etc etc, - And were they happy to speak to you? If you couldn't see these questions were going to lead to an abrupt interview, well, all I can say, I saw it coming. Not only that - you used it to now stir the pot and it's all over the internet. So, in a sense, Naomi was right. Your intention revealed by your following actions.

This is bizarre. Simon was being nice to Naomi maybe shes sensitive because of the backlash this has received. I will defend her on this I think looks like Dianna and even sounds like her. Now I thin k its just the idiots who take Dianna to divinity levels of womanhood, she want she was someone who made mistakes James Hewitt and did things that one shouldn't do like talking her sons to watch a film about the IRA.

Good God that film looks awful

You can clearly hear her becoming increasingly irritated by the questions. I guess it must be a tad annoying to have to answer questions which are not really focused on her performance. I think that she may well have been afraid that Mayo was leading her towards the notion that the film's narrative was worthy of controversy.

I find the interviewer very rude and offending. It`s not her responsibility if the story was completely true or not, and how the information was gathered for the movie. She did her best to answer the questions. And yes, the woman`s voice can be heard at 9:55 hence she finished it.

You should have asked her if she knew she was the daughter of JFK and Marilyn Monroe. That would have made her immensely uncomfortable. Because that's what she is.

Anyone else think it might have been done to get some publicity for a crap film?

Weird.

She quite evidently can't understand the questions. That was unprofessional and stupid to walk out in the middle. Hope the film fails now.

Disappointing

DISGUST AS HEARTLESS MAYO TAUNTS DIANA ACTRESS

Was first

Good actress that makes bad decisions, pretty much sums it up.

Well it looks like a terrible film

It was just kind of boring questioning.

Awkward that, could have handled it a lot better

Perhaps the interviewer before Simon asked her why her mouth is constantly agape when she is on screen and that induced her strop?