Cameron Diaz Explains Why She Retired (and Un-Retired) From Acting

Cameron Diaz is officially coming out of Hollywood retirement next year for the new Netflix movie, Back in Action. It marks Diaz’s first role in over a decade. She last appeared in 2014’s Annie before stepping back from the film industry to focus on her family and business ventures. During an appearance at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit yesterday, Diaz made rare comments on exactly why she decided to hit pause on her career as an actress.

“For me, it was just something I had to do,” she said. “It felt like something I had to do to reclaim my own life. And I just really didn’t care about anything else.” Diaz continued, “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 finished off her remarks by adding that her decision came down to “What are you passionate about? For me, it was to build my family.”

Diaz, 52, shares two children—daughter Raddix, 6, and son Cardinal, six months—with her husband Benji Madden. Diaz and Madden got married in 2015, right around when Diaz quit acting to focus on her family and later her organic wine business, Avaline. Coincidentally, Diaz’s pal Gwyneth Paltrow is also primed for her acting comeback after retiring for similar reasons.

According to sources, it was Madden who encouraged Diaz to un-retire. “She feels a bit rusty and nervous about it, but mostly excited,” an insider said. “She is ready to tackle this movie project.”

Back in Action will reunite Diaz with her Annie and Any Given Sunday co-star, Jamie Foxx. The comedy action film is about CIA spies Emily (Diaz) and Matt (Foxx) who “are pulled back into espionage after their secret identities are exposed.” It will also feature Glenn Close and Andrew Scott.

“I couldn’t say no to Jamie” Diaz explained at the summit. “He said, ‘Come with me.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, let’s do it.’” Foxx expressed his excitement when the project was announced in 2022. “Cameron is such an incredible force and she has done so much in this business,” he said. “We’re so happy that it's happening and looking forward to it.”

Back in Action isn’t the only project in the works for Diaz, though. The actress will reprise her voice role as Fiona in Shrek 5 and is reportedly in the midst of filming Jonah Hill’s new comedy movie The Outcome alongside Keanu Reeves and Matt Bomer.