Making ‘Friend’: Naomi Watts, Bill Murray discuss starring in new drama opposite canine co-star

They say every dog has its day and sometimes we re lucky enough to see it unfold on the big screen like in the new tearjerker drama The Friend Deco s barking up a storm with the film s all-star cast Josh Pais as Jerry How s the book going There s considerable interest and we ve got to capitalize on it now Naomi Watts as Iris I just can t keep having him here It s taken over my bed and it s getting in the way of my work Hit the paws button because this not-so-little guy is ready to raise the woof on the big screen Tom McCarhty as Dr Warren The dog provides essential emotional patronage Naomi Watts as Iris I guess I saw it the other way around Meet Bing the Great Dane This cutie-patootie pup has multiple famous pals But in the new drama The Friend he s not tugging on his leash he s tugging at your heartstrings alongside Naomi Watts and Bill Murray Cue the waterworks Or should I say the blubbering Bill Murray Well blubber is one of my favorite words In the film Naomi plays a writer who inherits her best friend s dog It s a story of grief love and healing which basically means tears But that s a good thing Bill Murray When I blubber it s memorable you know I remember it and I treasure it I really like to I like it when it happens Naomi Watts Yeah it feels so good afterwards Bill Murray Yeah it feels great You know what else feels great Reminiscing about the animal movies that really left a mark on them Bill Murray It was Old Yeller for me That s one where you know you fall in love with someone and then they re gone Naomi Watts Yeah King Kong as well when the humans took him out Naomi Watts as Ann Darrow No No no please no Naomi Watts That was sad Just do selected self-promotion here This isn t Bill and Naomi s first rodeo together The two were in St Vincent back in So when it came to The Friend she was willing to do anything it took to reunite with her pal Naomi Watts I just loved the idea of it so much that I couldn t see doing the film without him Bill Murray She did hand-deliver the script and then waited outside the fence crying I could hear her crying as I read through it All right the man doesn t just have jokes He s got major praise for his co-star Bill Murray She goes way beyond good It s an amazing performance I mean it s the best I ve seen The Friend is now playing in theaters