“It was just something I had to do”: When Cameron Diaz spoke about why she needed to take a break from acting

Cameron Diaz is an American actress. She was born on August 30, 1972. Some of her most popular films includeThe Mask (1994) and There's Something About Mary (1998). These helped her gain fame. Diaz was known for both humor and drama.

She rose to the top of Hollywood's pay scale. The actress got numerous award nominations. This was throughout the course of her career. However, Diaz took a break from acting in 2014. This was done to focus on her personal life.

At the Fortune Summit, Cameron Diaz had explained,

“For me, it was just something I had to do.”

Diaz clarified that she didn't care about anything else during her acting hiatus. This was mainly because it felt like a necessary step to take back her own life.

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More about Cameron Diaz’s acting break

Cameron Diaz appeared in hit films such as Charlie's Angels and Shrek. However, in 2014, she made the decision to leave acting. Diaz emphasized that this separation was required to restore her life.

During her time away, she focused on starting a family. This was done with her husband, Benji Madden. She tied the knot with him in 2015. They have two children together. Diaz also dabbled in other projects. This included the launch of Avaline, an ecological wine brand.

Over the years, Diaz was offered opportunities to resume her acting career. However, she decided to put her personal life first. When Jamie Foxx contacted her about acting in the action-comedy Back In Action on Netflix in 2022, she decided to go back. She opted to be back on screen.

The Netflix film is releasing on January 17, 2025. The movie centers on Diaz and Foxx. They are two ex-CIA agents who are enticed back into espionage. This is mainly done after their cover is exposed.

Diaz will also be in Jonah Hill's upcoming dark comedy Outcome. Diaz is returning to acting. However, she is still focused on balancing her profession and family life. She continues to be picky about the assignments she takes on. She makes sure they line up with her own values and life goals.

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Cameron Diaz’s career explored

American actress Cameron Diaz was born in San Diego, California. Her acting career began in 1994. This was when she first came to notice with The Mask. Diaz gained notoriety for her parts in numerous action movies like Charlie's Angels (2000). Some comedies were also included in the list like There's Something About Mary (1998).

She became a beloved character. This was seen in both live-action and animated movies. This was after lending her voice to Princess Fiona. This was mainly for the Shrek franchise. With such numerous hit movies and multiple award nominations, Diaz established herself as one of Hollywood's biggest stars.

Diaz also dabbled in writing. She published two best-selling health books: The Body Book (2013) and The Longevity Book (2016). Diaz left acting in 2014. However, she returned in 2022 for the Netflix film Back in Action.

In addition to acting, she founded Avaline. It is an organic wine brand. She also invested in health-related enterprises. Diaz continues to prosper in both entertainment and business. She is juggling an acting career with successful entrepreneurial enterprises.