Sundance 2013: Naomi Watts Celebrated at THR’s Festival Bash

The Hollywood Reporter on Friday raised a glass to Oscar nominee Naomi Watts (The Impossible), toasting the star of the fest’s Two Mothers.

“I’m very nostalgic for Sundance,” Watts said. “My first time here was with a movie I produced, and it was called Ellie Parker. It was a short film, and we were literally hounding people on the streets just to get them in to see the movie.”

Things obviously have changed since then, with Watts’ Two Mothers premiering just hours later to a packed house at Eccles Theater.

PHOTOS: The Scene in Park City

Joining Watts at THR‘s fete was her Two Mothers director Anne Fontaine and co-stars Xavier Samuel and James Frecheville. Actor Kyle MacLachlan, Guggenheim Digital Media CEO Ross Levinsohn, Sony Pictures Classics’ Tom Bernard and MPAA chief Christopher Dodd also were in attendance.

THR editorial director Janice Min hosted the event, held at Park City hotspot Village at the Lift, featuring bites by chef Ludo Lefebvre and sponsored by Samsung Galaxy.

Asked about simultaneously promoting a Sundance indie while working the awards circuit, Watts said: “It’s hard to change gears. I’m focusing so much on The Impossible, and now this is a whole other film and very different material. So yeah, it’s a big change.”

Following her Sundance promotional tour, Watts is looking forward to seeing Seth MacFarlane host the Feb. 24 telecast. “It’s been a good year for hosts so far,” she said. “It’s exciting.”

Email: Sophie.Schillaci@thr.com; Twitter: @SophieSchillaci