The Truth About Cameron Diaz And Jared Leto's Relationship

Before settling down with rockstar Benji Madden, Cameron Diaz was linked to many celebrities in the '90s and early '00s. Her high-profile relationship with Justin Timberlake certainly caught the headlines in 2003, seeing as the former *NYSNC member had split up with Britney Spears a year prior, per Us Weekly.

Before her love match with Timberlake, Diaz dated Matt Dillon for two years after meeting in 1995 while shooting films in Minnesota, per InStyle. Despite not being together for long, the couple was madly in love. "I love him incredibly," the actress told the Guardian, per InStyle. "He's an intelligent, poetic, full, real, human being. And he's down-to-earth. Matt is the greatest."

While they would eventually split in 1998, Dillion went on to call Diaz his muse. "I fell in love," he told Parade in 2006, per TMZ. "Cameron was a muse for me. I hadn't been in any deep emotional relationships."

Diaz went on to date several celebrities after her relationship with Dillion, including Timberlake, Sean Combs, Kelly Slater, and Alex Rodriguez, per TheThings. But one you may have totally forgotten about was Jared Leto, who Diaz started dating a year after her split with Dillon.

Cameron Diaz started dated Edward Norton for a year before meeting Jared Leto

According to TheThings, Cameron Diaz and Jared Leto met in 1999, the same year that the actress reportedly dated Edward Norton. According to The Sun, Diaz and Norton went on a few dates, but their romance ended the same year. Described as a rebound for the actress, Leto and Diaz quickly became serious.

Despite maintaining a low-profile relationship, news circulated in 2000 that the couple was engaged, per Digital Spy. In addition, according to AmoMama, Diaz was spotted wearing a $15,000 ring at the 2003 Golden Globe Awards. Still, the actress denied that they planned on getting married during an interview with The Mirror in 2002, per The Free Library. "I don't think it is necessary to walk down the aisle in a white dress to maintain a relationship," she said. "It's great to have a partner, but I don't see how a piece of paper means anything at all. I wouldn't be unfulfilled if I didn't marry." While she was reluctant to talk about Leto "in fear that she may jinx the relationship," as the Mirror writes, Diaz said "he is so nice."

Cameron Diaz and Jared Leto broke up in 2003

Cameron Diaz may not have talked about Jared Leto much publicly when they were together but the actress was open about what she believes in when it comes to dating. "I've heard a lot about the rules, about men being from Mars and women being from Venus, but I don't subscribe to that sort of thing," she told the Independent in 2002. "My rule is that there are no tricks in this game. I believe in honesty and communication and in treating people the way you want to be treated," she added. "Love should be unconditional."

It would seem that a lack of this on Leto's part may have been the cause of their eventual breakup in 2003. According to SF Gate, a source from the "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" set said the actor "wasn't very nice to her." Another source told Us Weekly (per SF Gate) that Leto "never visited the set during filming" and that "Diaz always attended crew parties alone." According to SF Gate, there was also speculation that Leto was jealous of Diaz's stardom and "more interested" in his music career.

Jared Leto admitted that he wasn't the best at relationships

Later admitting to being "too obsessed with [his] own creative ambitions and goals," Leto told Rolling Stone in 2013 that he "was never very proficient with the ladies" but "started making up for lost time." While Leto rarely talks about his personal life, he admitted to Details magazine, via Digital Spy, that marriage was never for him. "I don't really believe in settling down," Leto said. "That term implies that the current path I'm on isn't valid. It's not always about living your life the way people have lived before you."

Obviously, the actor has had other relationships since dating Diaz. But Leto chooses to remain private about his personal life. "I've lived a life. I've certainly had my experiences out there, but I wouldn't be so much of a gentleman if I talked about them," he explained. "I would furthermore say, if you hope to have any respect at all, you probably shouldn't talk about them."

Jared Leto is currently dating supermodel Valery Kaufman

Jared Leto has stayed true to his word. Still, he has been spotted out and about with his girlfriend of seven years, Valery Kaufman, per Cosmopolitan. He was first seen with the Russian supermodel in New York City back in 2015 when Leto was filming "Suicide Squad". As a source told People, they were initially friends before things started to develop over time. "They would meet up with groups of people and all hangout. They didn't go on solo dates," the source said. "Over the years, things seem to have turned romantic. They have been off and on now for a few years but seem to spend more time together."

The musician and actor vaguely hinted at his personal life in 2016, only to shut down any prospect of talking about it. "Even if I was in a relationship or maybe if I was having kids, I don't know if I would share that information publicly," Leto told Rolling Stone. "You know what I've learned about women? I know absolutely nothing about women," he continued. "The older I get, it's just people. I just see people."

Cameron Diaz is married to Good Charlotte's Benji Madden

On the other hand, Cameron Diaz has been very open about her relationship with Benji Madden. While they maintain a semblance of privacy –- especially after their daughter Raddix was born in 2020, per Instagram –- the actress has no issues sharing how much Madden means to her. "He's really taught me how to value myself a lot more," Diaz said during an episode of the Michelle Visage's Rule Breakers podcast, per People. "With our marriage, I learned how to really go all in," she continued. "Nothing else comes before this. It's not hard to do, because it's the most valuable thing I have."

Having met at a party Diaz hosted in May 2014, the couple were engaged only a few months after hitting it off and were married by January 2015, per Cosmopolitan. Speaking to Harper's Bazaar in 2016, per Us Weekly, Diaz said that while marriage was "the biggest thing I've done in my 40s", she doesn't think she would have done it if she hadn't met Madden. "It opened me up in different ways," she said. "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. It was a surprise."