Red carpet? More like paw-parazzi madness, because Naomi Watts just pulled the most show-stealing, tail-wagging move in premiere history — showing up to the NYC debut of her new film The Friend with her actual furry co-star, Bing the Great Dane. Yes, Naomi brought a literal gentle giant as her plus-one, and honestly? Iconic behavior.
Watts, 56, stunned in an elegant open-back white dress dotted with black fuzzy spots — perfectly matching Bing’s dalmatian-chic coat. Talk about twinning with intention. Some celebs coordinate with their glam squads. Naomi? She matches with majestic canines. Flex.
The premiere, held March 24, was supposed to be Naomi’s moment — but Bing wasn’t having it. The four-legged heartthrob hit the red carpet like a seasoned pro, striking solo poses, melting hearts, and eventually just plopping down for a mid-premiere nap while Naomi lovingly hand-fed him treats. Honestly, same energy as us at brunch.
PEOPLE caught up with Naomi, who couldn’t stop gushing about her larger-than-life scene partner. “Unbelievable,” she said about working with Bing. “Every day he brought something special. He surprised us at every step — and not in the ‘he pooped in my trailer’ kind of way.” (We’re paraphrasing. Barely.)
Watts went on to praise Bing’s performance chops, saying, “He did everything from the script… and then some. He even nailed the dramatic pauses.” Someone get this dog an Oscar. Or at least a Pup-ritzer.
But wait — there’s more wagging. Naomi stars in The Friend alongside the one and only Bill Murray. The plot? A New York novelist (Watts) suddenly finds herself guardian to her late friend’s ginormous dog, Apollo. Emotional chaos, literary introspection, and extreme dog-walking ensue. In short: Marley & Me but make it Manhattan and existential.
A few days before the premiere, Naomi posted an adorable BTS video on Instagram showing her final wrap on set — and guess who barked her off into the sunset? Bing, of course. Like a true diva saying, “This is my movie now, Watts.”
She captioned it: “Howls all around! THE FRIEND was so, so special to film. And every time an actor wrapped, Bing gave us a proper canine send-off. #TheFriendMovie.”
Catch The Friend in select theaters March 28 and nationwide April 4. And someone please get Bing a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame preferably one he can drool on.
1000 Fame 