Naomi Watts lit up the red carpet at the premiere of The Friend in New York yesterday (March 24). Despite being all smiles during the event, netizens couldn’t help but notice the stark contrast of her demeanor with that of her 16-year-old teen, Kai Schreiber.
The teenager, who had recently made their runway debut at Paris Fashion Week, appeared glum and unenthusiastic while standing beside their jubilant mom. The model’s seemingly frozen expression sparked a wave of comments online.
Highlights
- Naomi Watts' teen Kai looked glum despite her smile at the premiere.
- Netizens mocked Kai's expression, comparing the model to a mannequin.
- Naomi's attempt to lighten Kai's mood was caught in a noticeable moment.
- The model debuted on the runway representing Valentino.
“Is that a mannequin next to Naomi, or is Kai just over it?” one netizen asked. “That poor child looks to have been forced into doing something they didn't want.”
Naomi Watts’ child, Kai Schreber, sparked concern among netizens after posing with a frozen expression at a movie premiere
Image credits: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
“Smile, child. You don’t have to work for a living,” one user added, pointing towards Kai’s status as the offspring of a famous celebrity.
“Wow, I genuinely thought Naomi was posing next to a waxwork in Madame Tussauds!” another joked.
Image credits: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
In one particularly uncomfortable moment, the Australian actress seemed to notice the 16-year-old’s uncanny expression, grabbing the model and laughing, as if to try to force an emotion out of the stoic teenager.
Image credits: kaischreiberrr
The pair contrasted not only in their demeanor but also in their outfits, with the model wearing a dark-colored polka-dotted jacket, featuring small pink dots on a dark background. The jacket was accentuated with a large black bow at the neckline.
Image credits: kaischreiberrr
Kai completed the look with a pink textured top and a black ruffled skirt that extended below the knees, as well as a black-and-white Valentino bag worth an estimated $4,020.
Image credits: kaischreiberrr
Naomi, on the other hand, wore a sleeveless, loose white dress with a draped neckline. She combined it with a skirt adorned with small tufts of what seemed to be black synthetic hair.
Naomi celebrated the model’s debut on the runway, representing the Italian luxury fashion house Valentino
Image credits: lievschreiber
Despite Kai’s apparent somber mood on the red carpet, Naomi celebrated her child’s recent career milestone.
The budding model recently took to the Paris Fashion Week runway for Valentino, marking a significant moment in their fledgling modeling career.
Image credits: naomiwatts
Naomi was seen proud during the debut, capturing and sharing the exciting experience with her followers. A video of her watching Kai's catwalk from bed captured her emotional reaction: "Oh my God!" she exclaimed repeatedly, clearly thrilled with her child's success.
Image credits: naomiwatts
The 56-year-old actress shares Kai and 17-year-old Sasha with ex-partner and actor Liev Schreiber, from whom she split amicably in 2016.
Naomi has since married actor Billy Crudup. They had an intimate courthouse wedding in 2023, followed by a larger ceremony the following year in Mexico.
Image credits: naomiwatts
Directed by Scott McGehee, The Friend premiered at the Telluride Film Festival last year, but is scheduled to be released in the United States next Friday (March 28).
Upon its release, the drama film received mixed-to-positive reviews, holding an average rating score of 68 out of 100 on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.
"Absolutely miserable." Netizens expressed their worry on social media, believing Kai to be unhappy
