Naomi Watts cried after receiving nomination

Naomi Watts was moved to tears after it was announced that she is nominated for an Oscar for her performance in “The Impossible,” but it was not because of the Academy’s recognition of her acting skills.

The movie is based on a true story. Watts and Ewan McGregor play a husband and wife who go on vacation with their children in Thailand and then become separated after the devastating tsunami that destroyed parts of the area in 2004.

The actress has been keeping in touch with the woman who inspired her character, Spanish doctor Maria Belon, and said she contacted her on the day of the Oscar nominations, on January 10.

“She sent me an email,” Watts told OTRC.com. “She writes beautifully. She always writes great letters and they always make me cry and of course this one was no exception. I received it a couple of hours ago and she said, ‘I love, love, love, love you and now I love, love, love, love the Academy.’”

Watts is nominated for Best Leading Actress, along with Jessica Chastain of “Zero Dark Thirty,” Jennifer Lawrence of “Silver Linings Playbook,” Emmanuelle Riva of “Amour” and Quvenzhane Wallis of “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” This is Watts’ second Oscar nomination — she received her first nod for her role in the 2003 film “21 Grams.”

“It’s wonderful. It’s always nice to have the recognition from the industry [for] a movie I really care about,” Watts told OTRC.com. “I play a woman who I deeply care about and this story is just so important, I think. So many lives lost. I think it’s important we understand it, as confronting as it may be. I couldn’t be more thrilled. I’m very excited. It’s great to hear your name, I have to say.”

“I was certain, by the way, that it wouldn’t happen ’cause there were a lot of people that were vying for that category and a lot of great performances,” she added. “So I was quite shocked.”

Watts meanwhile has a new challenge — what to wear at the Oscars red carpet.

“It’s fun to do all the dress-ups but it’s tiring and exhausting and a little bit scary because you do dread those comments and I have been known to get it wrong before,” she said. “They like their classic outfits, they don’t want anything too off the wall so you’d better be careful.”

- On The Red Carpet