Cameron Diaz Reveals Why She Has Zero Regrets for Taking an 8-Year-Long Break From Acting

Let’s admit it, we all miss Cameron Diaz in the movies. She was audiences’ favorite ever since she appeared in legendary comedies and dramas in the 90s and 2000s. In addition to her acting talent and charisma, another reasons everyone has always liked her so much is that even when she was in a full movie star mode, Diaz remained down-to-earth, caring, and humble.

But somewhere around 2014, the adorable actress decided to step back from the silver screen and celebrity lifestyle. Bright Side brings you the details behind her decision to ’’retire’’. We are also going to take a peek into her current life and the things she is passionate about nowadays.

After 20 years of a successful career, Diaz felt it was time to reevaluate her life.

Diaz, who hasn’t appeared in a movie since 2014, hinted that she’s ’’retiring’’ from acting in a 2018 interview. This was just one year before she became a mother for the first time. Then, in 2020, during an Instagram Live chat, she shared with her fans that she’s “not going to do more films at the moment.”

Over the course of 20 years, from 1994 to 2014, the famous actress starred in more than 40 movies, including hits such as Vanilla Sky, The Mask, Being John Malkovich, There’s Something About Mary, and Shrek. Regardless of her immense success and brilliant career, Diaz decided it was time to take a step back from the spotlight, leaving her fans wondering why.

’’I had to take responsibility for my life.’’

In a candid interview with the fellow actress Gwyneth Paltrow, Diaz talked about things in the movie industry that made her reconsider her life choices: “It’s so intense to work at that level and be that public and put yourself out there,” Diaz said. Gradually, she started realizing that she wasn’t too happy with her life outside acting.

’’When you’re making a movie, it’s a perfect excuse. You have no time, they own you 20 hours a day. And I realized I handed parts of my life to all these other people. And I had to take it back, to take responsibility for my life.’’ She admitted that she was ’’absent’’ from so many relationships in her life.

Diaz grew uncomfortable with the movie star lifestyle.

When talking about the movie star lifestyle, Cameron pointed out that actors are ’’infantilized’’ and put in a position where everything is taken care of for them. ’’Your life becomes so narrow,’’ she explained, admitting that she never really felt comfortable with that. ’’I needed to become self-sufficient and learn how to be an adult,’’ she added.

When asked what was it like to walk away from such a successful career and what did she get in return, Diaz replied: ’’A peace. I got peace in my soul because I finally was taking care of myself,’’ she confessed, saying that she now feels ’’grounded and light.’’

Falling in love was a turning point.

Diaz confessed that she started wanting different things in her life after turning 40: ’’Here I am in my 40s, I’m completely starting over.’’ She felt the need to switch her focus to her family and other personal relationships instead of just making movies. And shortly after, her brave move ’’paid off’’ - she met ’’the one’’ and fell head over heels in love.

’’He taught me to value myself more.’’

The actress started dating American musician Benji Madden in 2014, and they got married the following year. It seems that finding true love was a turning point in her life because that’s when she decided to take a break from acting. She explained that she learned more about herself by being in a fulfilling relationship. She also credits her husband for making her value herself more: ’’It was painful and scary, but we both know it was necessary,’’ she says.

Even after all of these years of being together, the couple can’t seem to stop gushing about each other. Diaz once said that she could ’’cry over’’ her love for her husband: ’’With our marriage, I learned how to really go ’all in’. Nothing else comes before this,’’ she admitted.

’’You inspire me to want to be the best man I can be.’’

Another proof that the fuzzy feeling goes both ways is her hubby’s frequent public declarations of love and admiration. In a birthday post on Instagram, he wrote: ’’There are so many things that make me so proud of you and how special you are. Thank you for being my best friend and partner to me and for taking this journey of marriage. You inspire me to want to be the best man I can be in this lifetime. I’m so grateful to be yours.’’

Becoming a parent was another major change in her life.

Cameron Diaz became a mother for the first time at the age of 47, but despite her age, she feels it’s the best time of her life: ’’It’s so gratifying to be able to see that growth and to be part of that,’’ she explained, adding that it’s the best thing that ever happened to her and Benji.

“Even with all of the amazing experiences I’ve had in traveling and accomplishments of working hard and putting things into the world I’m proud of... I know, this is really the most gratifying time in my life, to be in this place, to get here,” Diaz explained.

And she is free to pursue her other passions and interests.

Not being involved in making movies allows Cameron to spend more time doing things she’s passionate about, like exploring and writing about self-care and wellness. In her books, she shares her secrets for becoming healthier, stronger, and happier, based on science-based facts and inspired by her personal experience. Both of her books received great reviews, and one even became a #1 New York Times bestseller.

Although her fans are hoping to see her on the silver screen again at some point in the future, for now, it seems that Diaz has found another kind of happiness that she enjoys to the fullest.

BONUS: She is back

We have some good news for all of you out there who can’t wait to see Diaz on the silver screen again. Last month it was announced that she’ll be making a comeback by appearing in an action-comedy of the symbolic title Back in Action. Diaz apparently couldn’t say no to her dear colleague Jamie Foxx who invited her to join him on this project.

What’s your favorite Cameron Diaz movie?