Real-Life Celebrity Breakup: Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber

Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber appeared to be one of Hollywood’s strongest couples, but like many other celebrity relationships, it just wasn’t meant to last.

Despite their split, the former couple works hard to co-parent their children together and maintain a good friendship. From how they met to their eventual split, find out more about this once great celebrity romance.

How Did Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber Meet?

The two stars met at the 2005 Met Gala in New York City, but it was apparently Watts who made the first move. Schreiber later revealed she invited him to go dancing after the event and when he showed up, he saw her with Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro. Embarrassed, Schreiber decided to leave — that is until Watts ran out after him and gave him her phone number.

First Date
Following that initial meeting, the couple had their first date outside of Magnolia Bakery in the West Village in New York City the next day. They talked over cupcakes and even shared their first kiss. Watts then went back to Los Angeles, but the pair kept in touch through email.

Starting a Family
Though they never married, Schreiber knew he wanted to have children with the actress. Their first son, Alexander “Sasha” Pete, was born on July 25, 2007, in Los Angeles, while their second son, Samuel Kai, was born on December 14, 2008, in New York City.

Parting Ways

After more than 10 years together, Schreiber and Watts announced their separation in a joint statement in September of 2016. The news of their split came just a few weeks after the couple attended the Venice Film Festival and the Toronto Film Festival together, promoting a film called The Bleeder.

Staying Friends
Despite parting ways, the former couple is committed to staying friends for the sake of their children. In an interview on Sunday Today, Schreiber told Willie Geist about the importance of making sure their kids know their parents still care about one another.