When Cameron Diaz stars in the Netflix comedy Back in Action alongside Jamie Foxx next year, it will be her first film in 11 years. The actress left Hollywood for a decade to focus on her family (she has two children with husband Benji Madden) and launching businesses like the popular wine Avaline. Speaking at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit, Diaz stuck by her decision to retire from acting for just over a decade.
“For me, it was just something I had to do,” Diaz said. “It felt like something I had to do to get my own life back. And I really didn’t care about anything else.
“No one’s opinion, no one’s success, no one’s offer, no anything could change my mind about my decision to take care of myself and build the life I truly wanted to live,” Diaz added. “It really comes down to: What are you passionate about? For me, the goal was building my family.”
Cameron has now started her acting career again. Back in Action premieres on Netflix on January 17, 2025, and is about two former CIA spies (Diaz and Fox) who are forced to return to a life of espionage after their secret identities are revealed. The film is directed by Seth Gordon, and co-stars Kyle Chandler, Andrew Scott, and Glenn Close.
Also on the horizon for Diaz is a return to the “Shrek” franchise, which is developing a fifth animated film that will include the vengeful voices of Diaz as Fiona, Mike Myers as Shrek, and Eddie Murphy as Donkey. Prior to these projects, her most recent films were the 2014 theatrical releases of “The Other Woman,” “Sex Tape,” and “Annie.”
Diaz was one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and shot to fame after making her debut in the 1994 film “The Mask” opposite Jim Carrey. She later starred in a series of successful romantic comedies, including My Best Friend’s Wedding, There’s Something About Mary, Charlie’s Angels, and Shrek. She announced her initial retirement in 2018, meaning Miss Hannigan’s role in “Annie” would be her last film performance.
Watch Diaz’s appearance at the Fortune Summit in the video below.