Naomi Watts tearfully broke down as her son headed off to college

She posted photos of herself holding Sasha, with her head buried in his chest in one image and her standing alongside him with his luggage in another.

Naomi, who has co-parented Sasha with Liev, captioned the snaps: "Step #1."

She added: "Already (bawling)" - adding five crying face emojis to the message.

Naomi also tagged Sasha, who looked at the camera while wrapping his arm around his mother's shoulders.

Sasha wore a white T-shirt, baggy blue jeans and a chain in one image, and his headphones in another - while Watts looked chic in an oversized beige blazer, white collared shirt and wide-leg blue jeans.

The actress also shared an image of Sasha hugging his 16-year-old sister, Kai Schreiber.

Naomi's former partner Liev also took to Instagram to mark the occasion.

He wrote: "Starting to feel the pull.

"Gonna miss my ride or die. Having said that, USC is gonna get one of the deepest, kindest, bravest and most beautiful boys I have ever known."

Sasha graduated from Friends Seminary, a private high school in New York City, in June and is moving across the country to begin his freshman year at the University of Southern California.

Naomi and Liev were together for 11 years before splitting in September 2016.

In 2023, the actress married fellow movie star Billy Crudup.

Liev went on to get hitched to Taylor Neisen, with whom he has two-year-old daughter Hazel.

British-Australian Naomi's career spans more than three decades.

She gained international recognition for her performance in David Lynch's Mulholland Drive (2001), earning critical acclaim for her portrayal of a mysterious aspiring actress.

Naomi has also starred in a range of films including 21 Grams (2003), The Ring (2002), King Kong (2005), and The Impossible (2012) - showcasing her versatility across drama, thriller, and action genres.

She has received multiple award nominations, including two Academy Award nods.