Cameron Diaz explains why she decided to take a break from acting

Posted On October 17, 2024October 17, 2024

Hollywood star Cameron Diaz has explained why she decided to step away from acting, suggesting she wanted to reclaim her life.

Diaz first found fame in the late 1990s, starring in Spike Jonze’s Being John Malkovich and the Farrelly brothers movie, There’s Something About Mary. In the 2000s, she landed a role as one of Charlie’s Angels, became the voice of Princess Fiona in the Shrek films, and starred in a slew of highly-successful comedies.

After starring in three films in 2014, Diaz took a step back from Hollywood. In 2015, she married Good Charlotte guitarist Benji Madden, before announcing her official retirement from the industry in 2018. The couple have since raised two children together.

Diaz’s hiatus from acting has lasted just over a decade, but she is now set to return to our screens next year in the aptly titled film Back in Action. Ahead of her return, the actor explained why she chose to step back from acting during an appearance at Fortune’s ‘Most Powerful Women Summit’.

“For me, it was just something I had to do,” Diaz explained, “It felt like something I had to do to reclaim my own life. And I just really didn’t care about anything else.”

“Nobody’s opinion, nobody’s success, no one’s offer, no one’s anything could change my mind about my decision of taking care of myself and building the life that I really wanted to have,” Diaz continued, “It really comes to: What are you passionate about? For me, it was to build my family.”

Now that Diaz has achieved this goal, she is set to star in Seth Gordon’s upcoming film Back in Action early next year. Diaz will play CIA spy Emily in the comedy flick, amidst a star-studded cast featuring Kyle Chandler, Andrew Scott and Glenn Close. The film is set for release in January 2025.

Back in Action isn’t the only project Diaz has in the works. She is also set to return to one of her most beloved roles, Princess Fiona, in the fifth instalment of the Shrek series. It has been 14 years since Diaz’s last outing as Fiona in Shrek Forever After, which also marked the most recent entry into the franchise.

Diaz isn’t the only original Shrek cast member set to return to the franchise for the new film. Mike Myers will reprise his role as the title character, while Eddie Murphy returns as Donkey. The film is expected to hit cinemas in 2026.

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