Inside Cameron Diaz's Relationship With Benji Madden
Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden's relationship initially might have been unexpected, but after marrying in January 2015, they remain one of Hollywood's most adored and enduring couples. However, love wasn't always this blissful for the couple. Prior to their marriage, Diaz was notorious for dating a string of A-list actors, including Matt Dillon, Jared Leto, and Justin Timberlake. Madden, for his part, was romantically linked to a slew of famous women, from Paris Hilton to Sophie Monk and Holly Madison.
Looking back on her dating life in 2012, Diaz told InStyle she "never" would have guessed she'd end up dating the guys she previously dated. That certainly was the case when she started dating Madden back in May 2014, which also shocked fans. But maybe their relationship was proof that Diaz was stronger and more confident than ever before. That same summer, on being 41, she told Esquire, "You just stop being afraid. You don't worry about what men think. You just don't worry that time registers anything awful."
Her new empowered outlook on life no doubt contributed to the early success of her relationship with Madden, which continues to flourish today, including the birth of their daughter, Raddix, in 2019 (via Us Weekly). Here's a look at their relationship that continues to grow and captivate.
Nicole Richie officially introduced them in 2014
Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden had been in each other's circles for years, but it wasn't until Nicole Richie, who was (and still is) married to Madden's identical twin brother, Joel, officially introduced them in 2014 that Diaz finally "saw" him for the first time. Speaking with Anna Faris on her podcast "Anna Faris is Unqualified," Diaz said, "I met [Benji] through my now sister-in-law and brother-in-law. I met them first and then they didn't set us up but we were in the same room because of them, and then we found each other."
Upon seeing Madden that day, Diaz told Faris, "I saw him walking towards me and I was like, 'Huh, he's hot. I haven't seen him before.'" She went on to confirm that it was basically love at first sight, sharing that she immediately thought of Madden as "special," she recalled.
Whether or not they were set up on purpose, Richie, for her part, takes full credit for their match. She told Andy Cohen back in 2014, "I'm going to take responsibility for everything!" (via People).
Their relationship seemed casual at first
While the attraction between the pair was immediate (though, interestingly, Diaz has said she isn't attracted to Madden's twin, Joel Madden), like any new couple, the early stages of their relationship were a little casual at first. The couple was spotted around Los Angeles in the summer of 2014 doing classic couple-y things, like grabbing coffee together. At the time, a source for E! News attributed their connection to Diaz's pattern of dating rockers and "bad boys." The source added, "Right now, they're totally into each other." When it came to the topic of marriage, the insider was doubtful, saying, "Cameron's not into the idea. She's into love and long-term relationships, but a piece of paper isn't a huge priority for her."
The statement, however, wasn't entirely inaccurate. Earlier that year, Diaz voiced her doubts about long-term commitment to InStyle (via E! News), even wondering if "anyone is really naturally monogamous." On marriage, she told the magazine that, in her opinion, people think it's what they want until they get married and then find out they're "miserable."
But it was definitely more than a fling
However, Cameron Diaz quickly recognized that Benji Madden was unlike anyone she ever dated before. When it came to her previous ex-boyfriends, "Nothing matters now that I have my husband," she told Andy Cohen in an April 2016 radio interview. "You realize this is what the real thing is ... This is the person that you build your life with."
She also revealed in the same interview that her connection with Madden was not only instant but also that she knew he was the One right from the start, something she never understood before she met him. "It was one of those things where everyone tells you, 'You just know when you know.' I was always like, 'What does that mean?'" She added, "Then I was like, 'Oh, I get it. You just know when you know. Like, you're my husband.'"
The couple got engaged quickly
Considering their connection, it's not surprising that Benji Madden put a ring on it pretty quickly. The couple announced their engagement in December 2014 after just seven months of dating. At the time of their engagement, a source told Us Weekly, "Benji always tends to fall in love easily, but this time it's for real and he landed a great girl. They obviously both make each other incredibly happy and there's nothing better than that."
That same month, while she didn't confirm or deny her upcoming nuptials to Madden, Cameron Diaz did discuss the importance of timing when it comes to relationships. "You have to find someone in the same place as you are," she told Cosmopolitan. "Timing is everything. If you get into a relationship where you want something the guy doesn't want, it's never gonna work. You're never going to get him to be in that place."
And they got married even faster
The pair made it official, exchanging wedding vows in January 2015. While there were rumors the couple was only engaged for 17 days, Cameron Diaz clarified to Andy Cohen that they were engaged for about "two-and-a-half months." She also shared with him some details on their intimate wedding day, including getting married in their living room in front of their dearest friends before having "a little party in the backyard on the tennis court."
According to InStyle, the couple's wedding was far more elegant than Diaz described. "A whimsical flower-filled tent in the backyard studded with dimly lit candles served as the backdrop," the magazine reported. At the time, Us Weekly reported that guests included celebrities Gwyneth Paltrow (who, like Cameron, also quit acting) and Samantha Ronson, while Cameron's sister, Chimene, and her assistant, Jesse Lutz, served as bridesmaids, along with Drew Barrymore and Nicole Richie. They kept it all in the family with Benji's nephew — and Joel Madden and Nicole's son, Sparrow — serving as the ring bearer.
Their relationship changed Cameron Diaz's view on marriage
It's evident that Cameron Diaz's relationship with Benji Madden changed her views on marriage and commitment. In the same month in which their engagement was announced, Diaz voiced how she had recognized patterns in her past relationships, which might explain why she was ready to take the plunge with Madden. "You make the same mistake over and over again until you learn your lesson," she explained to Cosmopolitan.
A couple of years later, in May 2016, Diaz admitted to Harper's Bazaar that getting married was the biggest thing she did in her 40s and that she credited Madden for it. "[Marriage] opened me up in different ways," she said. "It's pretty awesome. I didn't think it was something I'd do, and I don't know if I'd have done it if I hadn't met my husband [Benji Madden]. It was a surprise." A surprise, no doubt, since Diaz wasn't sure if she was even cut out for marriage. However, she told InStyle it was Madden who changed her perspective. "I don't know if I was ready [when I got married], but I knew Benji was special. He's just a good man ... It's really refreshing."
Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden are 'two peas in a pod' who complement each other
One reason why Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden's relationship works is how well they complement each other. At first glance, it might seem the pair are total opposites, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Diaz herself called them "two peas in a pod" at the "In Goop Health" wellness summit in 2017, telling Gwyneth Paltrow, "We're both just weird enough for each other. He's my perfect little weirdo and I'm his perfect little weirdo" (via People).
In the same conversation, she touched on their compatibility by acknowledging she wasn't ready for marriage mainly because she hadn't met Madden, calling him her partner "in life, in everything." "My husband has been able to show me what it's like to [...] be an equal," she said. "And I've learned so much from him. I look at him every day and he inspires me."
...And they compliment each other
Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden are not shy when it comes to professing their love for one another. "My husband's the best. He's the greatest human being, and he's my great partner," Diaz gushed to InStyle, which is just one among many compliments Diaz has shared about her husband over the years. Probably the most public was the love-filled dedication she penned to Madden in her 2016 book, "The Longevity Book: The Science of Aging, the Biology of Strength, and the Privilege of Time." Per Entertainment Tonight, the actress wrote: "I never knew what love was until I found you. How did I ever live without your love, your friendship, your brilliant mind, your genius sense of humor, and your enormous, loving, beautiful heart?"
Even tight-lipped Madden has been known to return the affection publicly, often showering his wife with beautiful compliments on social media. "Light of my life. Only thing that could rival your beauty is your heart," he wrote on Instagram in 2019.
They know how to keep the romance alive
Keeping the romance alive, whether it's going on intimate date nights or whisking one another away on European vacations, is another secret ingredient to Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden's passionate relationship. In 2018, the couple vacationed in Florence, Italy, with friends. Eyewitnesses couldn't help but be struck on how "in love" the couple looked as they walked with their arms around each other like a couple of lovestruck teenagers (per E! News).
The couple is also known to hit up many of their favorite Los Angeles-area restaurants, such as Sugarfish, for a date night. There, they looked "just [as] in love as ever," according to one source (via E! News) who watched as they chatted and enjoyed each other's company. The couple is often caught holding hands on the street or showing some very obvious PDA when hitting the town on date night. While they are notoriously private, it's quite clear they only have eyes for each other.
They both understand marriage takes work
In 2019, Cameron Diaz acknowledged the hard work that marriage requires and how she and Benji Madden both show up for each other to make their relationship work. As she told InStyle, "You need somebody who's willing to do the work with you, because there's no 60-40 in marriage. It's 50-50, period. All the time."
Madden has also shared his gratitude for the support Diaz has shown him and their family. Posting a tribute to the actress on Mother's Day in 2021, the rocker wrote: "Our little one and me get to live our life being loved by you and we are grateful. We love you forever ... Thank you for all you do." Madden didn't stop there. He also acknowledged Diaz's cooking, saying, "I got to take a second to acknowledge the food!!!" You know what they say: The way to a man's heart is through his stomach!
Their relationship helped Cameron Diaz realize her dream to become a mother
Before becoming a mom to Raddix in December 2019, Cameron Diaz had been quoted numerous times on her thoughts on motherhood. "I like protecting people, but I was never drawn to being a mother," she told Esquire in 2014.
However, later on, Diaz, who was dating her future husband, Benji Madden, at the time, let it be known that she never said she didn't want kids. "I said, 'I haven't had children thus far,'" she said, confirming what she did say. "The reason that I haven't had kids so far is because I realize when you have children it takes up a large part of your life and, for whatever reason, I haven't had children" (via Female First).
Fast forward a few years to April 2020 when Diaz shared in an Instagram Live how much she loves being a mother. "I'm so grateful ... it's the best thing ever and I'm so lucky to do it with Benji," she gushed (via Entertainment Tonight).
It's clear Diaz is loving her new role in life, telling Naomi Campbell on her "No Filter" YouTube series that she's found her "sweet spot" as Raddix's mom, adding that she knows motherhood is "really the most gratifying time in my life, to be in this place, to get here."
The married couple parent like pros and adore their family
Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden are each other's tag team when it comes to caring for their young daughter. While detailing her typical day with Kevin Hart on his show, "Hart to Heart," Diaz said, "Everything starts and goes and stops and goes because it's all about her needs ... We're a total tag-team" (via People).
She also credits having an opposite sleep schedule as a bonus when it comes to their parenting life. Diaz shared their sleeping patterns in an Instagram Live. "Benji wants to go to bed late, and I like to go to bed early... that works so well for us as parents," she said, explaining how Madden's late nights spare her from those late-night feedings and how her early-morning wakeup routine allows her husband to get some extra sleep (via People).
Ultimately, the two adore their little family. As Diaz told Kevin Hart, "It's the best thing ever and I'm so lucky to do it with Benji."