Howard reunited with Shyamalan for "Lady in the Water" (2006), a fantasy drama where she plays Story, a naiad-like being from a bedtime story, opposite Paul Giamatti, a Philadelphia building superintendent who discovers her character in a pool. It underperformed at the box office, falling short of its budget budget, and was largely panned by critics. Howard once again portrayed Rosalind in Kenneth Branagh's 2006 film adaptation of Shakespeare's "As You Like It". It was released in theaters across Europe before premiering on HBO in the United States. The film met negative reviews from British media, while American press coverage remained positive. Howard was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film at the 65th Golden Globe Awards for her role. That year, she wrote and directed a short film, "Orchids", as part of "Glamour" magazine's "Reel Moments" series funded by Cartier and FilmAid International.