Naomi Watts returned to the bustling streets of New York City alongside her four-legged co-star, Bing the Great Dane, on the set of the film. Friend.
The two-time Oscar-nominated actress, 55, was seen bundled up while walking the huge dog in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of midtown Manhattan.
Watts stopped to pose with her co-star dressed in a red coat that covered most of her 5-foot-2 frame.
It looks like the film’s wardrobe department had her in black pants and a multicolored scarf that wrapped around her neck and tucked into her jacket.
Considering temperatures have been hovering between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit, Watts also wore black leather gloves and a gray beanie over her blonde locks that fell from the hat a few inches past her shoulders.
Naomi Watts, 55, was photographed posing on the set of The Friend with her larger-than-life co-star Bing, who plays Apollo in the drama film filming in New York City.
The British-Australian actress dressed in a red coat, scarf, hat and gloves on the set of the film about a writer who adopts a heartbroken Great Dane after the death of its owner.
Carrying a large bag over her right shoulder, Watts has been seen filming scenes in the area with the huge dog, who plays Apollo, at her side for the past few days.
Later that night, Naomi was photographed looking as stylish as ever outside a fashion show in New York.
She was wearing a long black coat over an elegant long white dress.
The actress paired the look with black leather gloves, a black clutch and matching boots.
Written, produced and directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel, The Friend is a film adaptation of Sigrid Núñez’s 2018 novel of the same name, which won the US National Book Award for Fiction, about a woman’s bond with your great dane.
The story follows a writer who adopts a heartbroken Great Dane who had belonged to a now deceased friend and mentor, according to Deadline.
Both the book and the drama film address elements of love and friendship, along with the pain and ultimate healing they share as they establish their relationship.
Núñez was inspired to write the novel in part because acquaintances and friends were convinced that their lives would end in suicide, according to Wikipedia. In fact, a friend of Núñez committed suicide while she was writing The Friend.
In terms of film production, this marks the eighth time that the long-standing writing and directing partnership of McGehee and Siegel have come together for a feature film.
They first came together to collaborate on the thriller Suture (1994), which included a cast of Dennis Haysbert, Mel Harris, Sab Shimono, Dina Merrill and David Graf.
Watts says there is a dog trainer on set, helping her build a relationship with the massive 150-pound dog by doing dog trainers every 20 minutes or so.
Later that night, Naomi was photographed looking as stylish as ever outside a fashion show in New York.
She was wearing a long black coat over an elegant long white dress.
The Friend is a film adaptation of Sigrid Núñez’s 2018 novel of the same name, which won the US National Book Award for Fiction, about a woman’s bond with her adopted Great Dane.
His most recent collaboration as a writer, producer and director was for the drama film Montana Story, starring Haley Lu Richardson, Owen Teague, Gilbert Owuor, Kimberly Guerrero, Eugene Brave Rock and Asivak Koostachin.
During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in late January, Watts shared some details about her experience starring alongside a 150-pound dog.
“It’s not often that a dog gets the lead role,” he said, before adding, “He’s a special dog.” Very adorable. He is a good dog.
The Shoreham, Kent, England native, who also spent part of her childhood in Sydney, Australia, shared how she works with a coach on set at all times.
“I have to do all kinds of dog training,” he explained. ‘You know, every 20 minutes, we have to go through all these, these tricks. It can do many things.’
While production on The Friend continues in New York City, there is still no official word on a release date.