Cameron Diaz is one of the most iconic actors of her generation. She’s also one of the few who gave her career up. Diaz stepped away from acting in 2014, keeping a low profile ever since. However, she’s set to end her 10-year hiatus with a spot in Netflix‘s upcoming film Back in Action alongside Jamie Foxx. Diaz and Foxx play two former CIA agents who are unexpectedly thrust back into the spy world when their secret identities are uncovered. Seems like a fitting plot and title for an un-retiring actress.
While Diaz is certainly not the first major star to walk away from the limelight, her case is unique. She wasn’t in a career slump, nor was she dealing with any known health or personal issues. She just decided to walk away. So then, why is it the right time to jump back into the industry? Much of that credit is due to her co-star and friend, Foxx, as well as another unexpected famous face. More on that later. So, let’s revisit why Cameron Diaz hung up her acting coat and how Netflix convinced her to throw it back on.
Diaz’s Early Career and Retirement
Diaz’s career launched in the ’90s with roles in The Mask, She’s the One, My Best Friend’s Wedding, and There’s Something About Mary, among many others. Her career highs continued throughout the 2000s and 2010s, with a spot as Princess Fiona in the Shrek franchise providing her best-known voice role. Diaz’s last film role was as Miss Hannigan in the 2014 adaptation of Annie (which, in a full-circle moment, also starred Foxx). It was not a fitting career-ender, as Diaz scored a Razzie nomination for Worst Supporting Actress. Annie was moderately successful at the box office but was slammed by most major critics.
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For as big of a star as Diaz is, it’s surprising to hear that she never formally announced her retirement. After a few years away, rumors began to swirl in 2018 that Diaz had left the limelight. Diaz issued her first public comments on her acting break in a March interview that year with Christina Applegate and Selma Blair. While not declaring she was done for good, she did say that she was “semi-retired” and unlikely to work again in the near future.
And that’s where Cameron Diaz’s Hollywood career seemed to stop. She withdrew from the public spotlight soon after, having a baby via surrogate with husband Benji Madden in 2019 and launching a wine brand in 2020. Diaz did make occasional media appearances as herself, like on The Drew Barrymore Show in 2020 and as a RuPaul’s Drag Race guest judge in 2022. In a 2021 interview with Kevin Hart, Diaz explained that she left acting to better manage parts of her day-to-day life that she felt had been overlooked. But there was no sign of a return in her future.
Why Did Diaz End Her Retirement, And What’s Next?
In June 2022, Netflix officially announced that Diaz would end her retirement to star alongside Foxx in Back in Action. Much of the credit for convincing Diaz to return should go to Foxx himself. He knew her from Annie and Any Given Sunday and directly pitched her the new role, highlighting how much fun it could be. Foxx’s pitch worked, as Diaz signed on to Back in Action.
But he’s not the only famous face who contacted her. After convincing Diaz to come out of retirement, Foxx apparently called up Tom Brady, of all people. The NFL legend famously retired from the sport in early 2022 before changing his mind and unretiring just a month later. Brady offered some words of wisdom to Diaz as a fellow “un-retiree.” Or, in the words of Foxx, one GOAT helping another. While Diaz appears to be giving acting another shot, Brady would retire again (this time for good) in early 2023.
Diaz’s acting return does not appear to be a one-off try either. In July 2024, it was officially announced that Diaz would reprise her acclaimed Princess Fiona role in 2026’s Shrek 5 alongside Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy. She’s also set for a role in the Apple TV+ film Outcome. Starring Keanu Reeves and Jonah Hill, this pic was filmed from March to May 2024 and has an unspecified 2025 release date.
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Ultimately, Jamie Foxx, Tom Brady, and Netflix reignited the career of one of the biggest stars of the ’90s and ’00s. There aren’t any additional projects for Diaz lined up after the three above, so we don’t know how long her un-retirement will last. But at the very least, fans of Cameron Diaz will get to see her on the big screen again after more than a decade away. And if successful, this could prove to be the beginning of a new career renaissance. Back in Action is streaming on Netflix on January 17, 2025.