Naomi Watts, 54, on finding love later in life after her surprise wedding to Billy Crudup: ‘Women’s stories don’t end at a certain age’

Naomi Watts has declared that “age is in” when she spoke about aging as a woman and finding love after menopause.

The newlywed actress, 54, married her husband Billy Crudup last month in a New York City courthouse.

she talked to Hello! magazine about her marriage and long-standing career have helped allay her fears that ‘the old ladies will be let out to pasture’.

Naomi said she wanted to tell stories about older women and menopause in particular, to help facilitate a more open conversation and raise awareness.

She said: ‘I’m proud to continue working; when the defining narrative used to be that if you were a little over 40, they basically forced you to retire, to see that change, that’s empowering…

Smitten: The newlywed actress, 54, married her husband Billy Crudup last month in a New York City courthouse.

“It’s a minor comment here or there, barely a subplot, but menopause can consume a significant part of a woman’s life—some people can last more than a decade.” How is it not worth writing stories about that?

‘So many things can happen in a woman’s life during this time; caring for elderly parents, emptying the nest, a divorce, a career change, returning to the workforce. High stakes! All great fodder for rich, meaningful storytelling. Look at this space!’

The Impossible star has teamed up with Mariella Frostrup’s Menopause Mandate campaign group to help better support women in the UK and US.

Naomi went through menopause when she was just 36 and said that if there had been more openness about the issue then, she wouldn’t have felt so alone.

She said: ‘I really think if menopause hadn’t been such an off-limits topic when I first started experiencing symptoms, I would have had an easier transition. I was part of a cycle that desperately needed to be broken.

‘There was a lack of open conversation and resources to help women navigate the changes we are going through. That’s why I’m so passionate now about raising awareness and fostering more honest conversations.”

It comes after Naomi shared the news of her marriage with her followers when she posted on Instagram a photo of herself and her new husband posing on the steps of the Manhattan courthouse shortly after getting married.

The British-Australian actress stunned in a $7,400 white Oscar de la Renta Sweetheart Water Lilly Guipure gown as she captioned the post: “Hooked.”

Hooked: It comes after Naomi shared the news of her marriage with her followers as she posted on Instagram a photo of herself and her new husband as they posed on the steps of the Manhattan courthouse shortly after getting married.

The bride dressed in white! The British-Australian actress stunned in a $7,400 white Oscar de la Renta Sweetheart Water Lilly Guipure gown as she captioned the post: ‘Hitched’

A huge number of famous friends of the stars rushed to congratulate the couple. Fellow Aussie Nicole Kidman wrote: “So happy for you two, love you Nai, you did it!”

American actress Jennifer Coolidge chimed in: ‘Hooray!!! I just woke up to this!!!!! Congratulations !!! You two couldn’t look happier! XO’

While Julianne Moore wrote the single ‘¡¡FINALLY!!!’ and Gwyneth Paltrow commented: ‘Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Billy, born in New York, donned a navy blue suit for the occasion, looking dapper with his clean-shaven face and dramatically slicked-back graying shaggy hair.

The famously reserved couple previously sparked marriage rumors after they were spotted in wedding attire in photos obtained by pages six on Friday.

Naomi first sparked rumors that she and Billy were engaged earlier this year, when she debuted a massive diamond in an elegant marquise cut, along with a diamond-encrusted band.

However, the star refused to confirm the engagement talk, even after American Today host Hoda Kotb directly mentioned it during a late-April appearance on the morning talk show.

Naomi and Billy met on the set of her 2017 Netflix series Gypsy, in which she played a therapist who uses an alias to develop close (and unethical) relationships with people intimately connected to her patients, while Billy played her husband.

The co-stars began a relationship later in 2017, a year after Naomi split from her partner of 11 years and father of her two children, Liev Schreiber.

You can kiss the bride! Marvel star Mark Ruffalo was there to witness the happy event and shared a sweet snap of the newlyweds kissing.

Beloved: He shared this sweet photo of the couple posing together after the ceremony, adding the caption: ‘Husband’