Cameron Diaz Opens Up About Stepping Away from Hollywood and Her Return

After stepping out of the Hollywood spotlight in 2014, Cameron Diaz is making her highly anticipated return to acting. The actress, known for hits like There's Something About Mary and The Mask, recently shared why she took a break and why now feels like the right time to come back.

Diaz’s last on-screen role was in 2014’s Annie. Speaking at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit, she explained that her decision to step away from acting was about reclaiming her life. “It felt like the right thing for me to do to reclaim my own life... no one’s opinion could change my mind about my decision to take care of myself and build the life I wanted,” she said.

Over the last decade, Diaz has focused on her personal life, marrying musician Benji Madden and welcoming two children, Raddix and Cardinal. She also launched the clean wine brand Avaline with her business partner, Katherine Power, in 2020.

Now, Diaz is preparing to return to the screen. She’ll star in Netflix’s Back in Action with Jamie Foxx, set to release in January 2025. She’s also rumored to reprise her role as Fiona in Shrek 5 and is in talks to work with Keanu Reeves in Outcome, a dark comedy.

Diaz explained that her return was prompted by her family’s support. “After COVID, my husband was like, ‘It’s time for us to support you... let me see you do it, girl,’” she said. On reuniting with Jamie Foxx for the Netflix film, Diaz shared, “I couldn’t say no to Jamie... it’s our third film together, and it’s really great.”

With several projects lined up, Diaz is excited to get back to acting while balancing her family life.