Naomi Watts recalls being told to work as much as she could before she turned 40 and lost her sex appeal

• Naomi Watts was told she would one day become "unfuckable" in Hollywood.
• The "Mulholland Drive" star got her breakout role in 2001 when she was 33. She is now 54.

Naomi Watts, 54, says she was told to capitalize on her looks before she became "unfuckable" at 40.

Watts caught the attention of Hollywood at 33 when she starred in David Lynch's 2001 psychological thriller "Mulholland Drive."

"I was told, 'You better get a lot done because it's all over at 40 when you become unfuckable.' And I'm like, 'What? What does that mean exactly?'" Watts said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly published Monday. She was furious at the idea that some thought she was already approaching her professional shelf life.

"Then you think about it, and you go, 'Oh, right. When you are no longer reproductive, when those organs are no longer functioning, you are not sexy, so, therefore, you are not hirable.' That just made me so mad," she continued.

Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, and other actresses have also spoken out about ageism in the entertainment industry. Much to Watts' annoyance, it is something women in Hollywood are frequently asked to comment on.

"It's such an awkward conversation because, from day one, we begin our aging process. It's something we just all have to get comfortable with and women are asked to do it more than men," said Watts.

She pointed out the contradictions in the way leading men aging is treated in the industry. "We don't talk about a man aging hardly ever," Watts added.

"We don't talk about his gray hair. In fact, if we do, it's like, 'Oh, he gets more handsome, more desirable, more powerful.' And why is he powerful? Because he's accumulated experiences," she continued. "Well, it should be the same for women. We've got important and powerful experiences as well at this age that we should feel proud of."