What Really Happened To Cameron Diaz?

In the 1990s, model-turned-actor Cameron Diaz became a mesmerizing movie icon known for playing the charismatic and comedic girl next door. But before her first starring role, Diaz was a fresh-faced teen signed to Elite Model Management who appeared in ad campaigns for big-name brands like Calvin Klein and Levi's. Of course, once Diaz gained recognition in the film industry, her appearances in mainstream movies led her to become a household name.

With a prominent career that seemed unstoppable, fans were definitely surprised when Diaz officially announced her retirement in 2018. Still, the decision to leave Hollywood behind wasn't a difficult choice for Diaz. During interviews, she would later state she was more than happy to choose her personal life and other business ventures over the entertainment industry.

Diaz made it clear that her priorities lay in her role as a mother and a wife, and the successful business she co-founded with one of her friends. Until 2025, when the "Shrek" star came out of retirement to film "Back in Action" with Jamie Foxx. This comeback had fans jumping for joy, but also asking what it meant for Diaz's acting career, and what really made her quit show business in the first place.

Despite having no prior film credits or acting experience, Cameron Diaz managed to nail an audition impressive enough to earn her the role of Tina Carlyle, the female lead opposite Jim Carrey in the 1994 comedy, "The Mask." After her initial break into show business, Diaz was set to appear in a live-action version of "Mortal Kombat," but backed out after injuring her wrist during training for the film. She then took roles in independent movies like "The Last Supper," "Feeling Minnesota," and "Head Above Water." Eventually, Diaz returned to mainstream film, appearing in classics like "My Best Friend's Wedding" and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."

Ultimately, it was Diaz's starring role in the Farrelly brothers' blockbuster film, "There's Something About Mary," that shot her to A-list celebrity status. From there, Diaz truly began to challenge herself as an actor. She made stunning transformations for movies like "Being John Malkovich" (which earned her multiple award nominations) and "Any Given Sunday," where she played the young owner of a professional football team alongside veteran actors like Al Pacino and Dennis Quaid. By that time, it seemed like Diaz had definitely secured a place for herself amongst the top players in Hollywood entertainment.

Starring roles in films like "Charlie's Angels" and "Shrek" only boosted Cameron Diaz's ever-growing popularity. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Diaz's acting earnings peaked between 1998 to 2011, during which the "Vanilla Sky" star made over $160 million in base film salaries alone. She received an impressive $20 million for playing Natalie Cook in "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," an $8 million increase from her appearance in the first film, making it clear that her status was continuing upward. Diaz earned similar wages for movies like "Gangs of New York," and became the third-ever female actor to hit the $20 million movie salary achievement.

The world was taking note of the lovable blond actor. In 2013, The Hollywood Reporter referred to Diaz as "the highest-paid actress among the over-40 set." They praised her for having a tight hold on her status as an A-lister for over a decade, and noted that while many female leads were unable to match the fees of their male counterparts, the "Shrek" star was more than able to receive her fair share of earnings. A perfect example of this is her 2011 comedy film, "Bad Teacher," for which she received first-dollar gross instead of a one-time fee. The movie ultimately earned $216.2 million worldwide, and Diaz got an enviable $42 million paycheck for her work. The write-up also noted that she had a similar setup for another Sony film, "Sex Tape."

Even before she officially announced her retirement, Cameron Diaz had already found success in another career path. Diaz released "The Body Book: The Law of Hunger, the Science of Strength, and Other Ways to Love Your Amazing Body" in 2013, and the book ended up becoming a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. Her 288-page work is said to provide "a holistic, long-term approach" to "a long, strong, happy, healthy life." Later, in 2016, Diaz shared a follow-up guide, called "The Longevity Book: The Science of Aging, the Biology of Strength, and the Privilege of Time." The sequel explores "how the female body ages and what we can all do to age better" from a holistic perspective.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Diaz discussed creating her second book. She stated that the lack of single-source information and conflicting answers on the various issues that surround women's bodies as they age was what led her to make "The Longevity Book." "We're told a lot of different things about one thing or the other, and of course a ton of different fads are going on, like, 'Do this!' or 'Do that!'" Diaz said. Though the actor/author admitted that harsh beauty standards make it difficult to "embrace" aging as something natural, she still hoped her second publication would allow readers to view their changing bodies in a positive way.

Cameron Diaz's final film before announcing her retirement from acting was the 2014 remake of the broadway musical classic "Annie." "It's not very often you get to do a musical. Even though I was terrified of doing it, I kind of had to," Diaz told Marie Claire of taking on the role of Miss Hannigan. She went on to say that it's vital for her to "address" her fears.

In an interview with UPI, Diaz said she "loved the idea of reinventing" the famous character for a modern audience. Regarding the Will Gluck-directed family film, Diaz said, "We're giving performances for the generation who is going to see it for the first time. This is the only 'Annie' they're going to know." Diaz went on to say her version of the famous character Miss Hannigan is a brand new take on the role. Though critics weren't raving in reviews (the movie only holds a 28% on Rotten Tomatoes), Diaz appears to have enjoyed her final film experience. Nevertheless, it's a Cameron Diaz movie with a bad rating that's still worth watching.

Though Cameron Diaz reportedly never thought she'd get married, she managed to surprise herself by tying the knot with Good Charlotte's Benji Madden in 2015. The couple got engaged in 2014 after being together for seven months. After their marriage, Madden made another permanent declaration by tattooing Diaz's name beneath his collarbone and showing off his new ink in a since-deleted post on social media.

Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden's relationship seemed to be going strong a year later when the actor reaffirmed her marital bliss, proudly praising her husband in a since-deleted video on Instagram of him performing on stage. "One of my favorite things about being married, is how much pride I take in my husband," she wrote (via Us Weekly). Diaz went on to say that Madden "makes me proud every day." 

On a 2021 episode of the "Anna Faris Is Unqualified" podcast, the actor reaffirmed that she was still very much in love with her husband, and spoke about her initial attraction to Madden. "I saw him walking towards me and I was like, 'Huh, he's hot, I haven't seen him before.'"

In a 2018 interview with Metro, Selma Blair stated that her friend and former co-star Cameron Diaz had "retired from acting." Blair told the media outlet that during a lunch conversation between the two about their 2002 film "The Sweetest Thing," Diaz allegedly said to her that she had no plans to make any new films. Blair added that Diaz reportedly would prefer to focus on her personal life, spending time with her husband, Benji Madden. "We were reminiscing about the film. I would have liked to do a sequel but Cameron's retired from acting. She's like, 'I'm done,'" Blair told the publication.

Blair's words made headlines and appeared to be accurate, considering that at the time, Diaz hadn't starred in anything new since approximately four years prior. This prompted Blair to make a statement in a since-deleted tweet, stating, "Cameron Diaz is NOT retiring from ANYTHING" (via ET). Blair claimed that the prior information was false and that she was simply "making a joke in an interview." Blair finished her recant with another humorous remark, claiming that she was "retiring" from being a spokesperson for her friend.

Shortly after Selma Blair retracted her remark that Cameron Diaz had retired, Diaz herself, made a statement that confirmed the previous report to be true. In a "Sweetest Thing" reunion interview for Entertainment Weekly, Diaz and her former co-stars, Blair and Christina Applegate, reminisced on making the romcom. In response to Applegate saying that she was semi-retired, Diaz made this response: "I'm semi-retired, too, and I am actually retired." Her words reaffirmed what many had already suspected after Blair's initial statement.

It wasn't until 2020 that the former "Knight and Day" star finally revealed more about her decision to leave the entertainment industry behind. In an interview with Gwyneth Paltrow for Goop, Cameron Diaz opened up about retiring from acting, saying she stood by her choice. "I got a peace in my soul," Diaz said. "Because I finally was taking care of myself." She went on to say that she knew her decision may have seemed puzzling to some, but that it was incredibly "intense" to work at the level she was at, and that as an actor, her life was very "catered" in a way that made her "uncomfortable." "For me, I needed to become self-sufficient again."

Though Cameron Diaz keeps most of her personal life reasonably private, she still decided to share some exciting news with her fans on social media at the beginning of 2020. In a since-deleted Instagram post, Diaz wished her followers a Happy New Year before stating that she and her husband, Benji Madden, had recently welcomed a new baby.

Diaz wrote, "We are so happy, blessed, and grateful to begin this new decade by announcing the birth of our daughter, Raddix Madden." (Find out the real meaning of Cameron Diaz's baby's name here.) "She has instantly captured our hearts and completed our family." The actor continued to explain that even though the couple was "overjoyed to share this news," they still wanted privacy and would not be revealing pictures of their little one.

Later, in an interview with Naomi Campbell, Diaz reflected on motherhood, saying she was now doing what most people do "the other way around," referring to becoming a mother at 47. Regardless, Diaz has no regrets, and called the current time in her life her "happiest" yet. She stated that even with all the incredible experiences she's had and the achievements she's made, being a mother has still been "the most gratifying time in my life." In March 2024, Diaz and Madden welcomed their second child, a son named Cardinal Madden.

Retiring from acting hasn't stopped Cameron Diaz from pursuing other business ventures. In 2020, she and her friend, Katherine Power, launched a wine company called Avaline, having co-founded the business two years earlier. 

Avaline includes a line of clean wines free from undisclosed additives and ingredients. Diaz and Power's priority is to be transparent with consumers about the cleanliness and the ingredients of their products. As the businesswomen pointed out in a YouTube testimonial, many store-bought wines come from vineyards where the grapes are not even washed, nor are they vegan. Currently, there are no specific requirements for wine to be legally classified as "clean," however, Avaline's vinos are crafted with clean, organically grown grapes without synthetic pesticides. Diaz and Power's wine bottle labels are informative and feature the type of wine, a "vegan" stamp, and "free from" list, a "taste" descriptor, and a "pairs well with" index.

Cameron Diaz has turned her clean wine brand into a major success since its launch in 2020, tapping into a growing consumer demand for transparency in what people put into their bodies. While she's been careful to acknowledge that she isn't the pioneer behind clean winemaking, telling Forbes, "I think that we've highlighted this category of winemaking. We didn't invent it," her star power has helped bring the conversation into the mainstream and highlight the hidden ingredients many consumers never think to question.

During an appearance on Kevin Hart's talk show "Hart to Heart" in 2021, Cameron Diaz stated that in her 40s she realized there were "so many parts of my life ... that I wasn't touching and that I wasn't managing." Diaz mentioned her distaste for being handled and "handed off to other people," saying she wanted to be able to manage her own life and the various aspects that came along with it.

Diaz told Hart that she still "loves" acting and has more than enough energy to do the required work. Even so, leaving Hollywood behind made her "whole" and gave her the ability to do everything she previously never could. "I met my husband, we started a family, all those things I didn't have time for before." Looking happier than ever, Diaz made it clear that being an A-list actor ultimately didn't compare to the remarkable life she chose to live away from the glare of the cameras.

Despite her previous announcement that she was done with the film industry, Cameron Diaz eventually decided to make a showbiz comeback. In 2025, she starred in the Netflix film, "Back in Action," alongside Jamie Foxx. Because life inevitably imitates art, the film mirrored Diaz's own career path — with a plot that covered a spy's return to the business after taking time off to focus on family.

Fans were understandably thrilled with Diaz's decision to return to the screen. Foxx even told Empire that it was gratifying to be able to be a part of this massive Hollywood moment. "When people are buzzing about Cameron being back, I feel good that I had something to do with it," he said. 

Despite the excitement surrounding Diaz's return, at first, the actor wasn't sure she wanted to get back into acting full-time. "I don't know how I view [my comeback]. It's hard to say," Diaz told Empire. She went on to explain that she didn't want to commit to making some kind of grand return to the industry. Instead, she wanted to take her career choices one at a time. "I reserve the right to say no to doing a movie ever again, and I reserve the right to say yes if I decide to. I'm not defining anything. I'm just open to whatever makes sense for me and my family at any given moment," she revealed.

Although Cameron Diaz was originally reticent about making a full comeback into the film industry, it didn't take long for her to change her tune. Following her appearance in the Netflix movie, "Back in Action," Diaz accepted another role with a film made by the streaming giant. This time, she was cast in "Bad Day," a story about a mother's attempt to fulfill a promise to her daughter in spite of a day filled with terrible luck. Beyond her work on "Bad Day," Diaz also began working alongside Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, and the talented Zendaya on "Shrek 5."

The breadth of these projects, ultimately, seemed to give Diaz a sense of excitement about the future of her acting career. As she said on "The Graham Norton Show" in 2025, acting continued to be something that she was really passionate about — even during her 10-year break from the industry. "It's just a privilege to do this," she said. "If I just let this go away ... all of this good will, all of this that I got to build over so much time, the passion that I have for entertaining people ... If I don't engage that again ... then I would be a fool." While Diaz still couldn't say just how many projects she would eventually take on, she seemed open to the future, and all the opportunities that it could bring. 

For Cameron Diaz, one of the most interesting parts of returning to Hollywood after a 10-year hiatus was witnessing the impact of the #MeToo movement on the industry. According to Diaz, making movies prior to #MeToo could be really stressful, especially for female actors. As she put it on an episode of the "SkipIntro" podcast, "There was always just like that one guy, you know, on set, that you were like, 'God, here he comes again.' There was always layers and layers of inappropriateness that you just kind of had to put up with." Interestingly, though, Diaz said that when it came time to film "Back In Action," this was no longer the case.

On the same podcast episode, Diaz said she noticed the changes in the film industry immediately. At the very beginning of filming "Back in Action," a human resources representative got in touch to pass along an anonymous hotline that she could dial to report any unprofessional behavior. "I was like, 'Wow, that's amazing'. The level of security and safety you feel as a woman now on set is great. I had never felt that before this film," Diaz noted. The actor attributes these structural changes to the #MeToo movement and the subsequent investigations into Hollywood's culture. "The industry is so different. I mean, I definitely have to say that MeToo changed everything," she added.

When Cameron Diaz initially made her comeback in the movie industry, she was certain about one thing: romcoms were not going to be a part of her repertoire. As she told Empire, movies about motherhood were way more interesting to her than the classic romances that made her career back in the 1990s and early 2000s. "No more romcoms, only momcoms," she promised. As fierce as this pledge may have sounded at the time, it didn't take long for Diaz to seemingly pull a 180.

As reported by Deadline in 2026, Diaz was cast in an exciting romantic comedy about an unlikely couple. The film, which was co-written and directed by Stephen Merchant, is about a hotel owner who needs to get married ASAP. The businessman — who is played by Merchant — then decides to marry an aspiring stand-up comedian played by Cameron Diaz. In exchange for the fake relationship, he offers her health insurance, and everything seems settled. Eventually, however, things change as the two begin to see each other in a whole new light, and well, we won't spoil the ending. 

While this may sound like the cheesy sort of movie that Diaz swore she would avoid, the opportunity was just too good for her to turn down. Merchant holds a number of prestigious acting awards including several BAFTAS and an Emmy. Together, Diaz and Merchant could potentially deliver some incredible on-screen moments.

As Cameron Diaz has aged, her sense of fashion has grown increasingly elegant. In March 2025, she attended Stella McCartney's show at Paris Fashion Week wearing an outfit that balanced bold colors with overall simplicity. In a display of "quiet luxury," Diaz wore just three pieces: a white coat over a red dress paired with red pumps. While the vibrant colors of her ensemble were certainly attention-grabbing, the lack of any big embellishments or eye-catching accessories ensured the focus fell on Diaz, as opposed to just her clothes.

This would not be the last time the actor displayed a totally tasteful outfit. At the 2026 WWD Awards, she was applauded by WWD for what the magazine considered the "quiet luxury" of her little black dress and matching black blazer. Looking totally understated in this simple get-up, Diaz proved that taking a break from fame did not mean missing out on current trends. Of course, it's worth noting the actor has a history of choosing simplicity over embellishments — just look at Cameron Diaz's regrets on Botox and opinions on aging naturally. That being said, "The Holiday" star's ability to shine so brightly and so simply after such a long break from Hollywood shows just how fashionable she truly is.