Cameron Diaz Talks Return to Acting on The Graham Norton Show.
Cameron Diaz, 52, is officially back in the acting scene after a ten-year hiatus, and she credits her return to her Back in Action co-star, Jamie Foxx. In an appearance on The Graham Norton Show on January 17, Diaz opened up about how Foxx played a crucial role in her decision to step back into the spotlight.
The Graham Norton Show (@thegrahamnortonshowofficial Instagram)
Cameron Diaz opens up about her return to acting after a decade-long break during her appearance on The Graham Norton Show. Alongside her Back in Action co-star Jamie Foxx, Diaz shares how he played a pivotal role in her decision to return to the screen.
"I am back all thanks to Jamie," Diaz revealed, explaining that she spent the last decade away from the industry, choosing to focus on family and personal time. She added, “I had 10 years of not paying attention to anything; not accepting any advances, and then I got this script and thought that maybe it was time.”
Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx (@netflixsa Instagram)
Diaz, who is 52, made it clear that if she was going to return to the demanding world of acting, it had to be with someone she deeply respected. “If I was going to leave my family for 10 hours a day I wanted to do it with the most talented man in the entertainment business,” she said, referring to Foxx.
The actress also reflected on the privilege of working in the film industry, saying, “It is a privilege to make films, and we are all so lucky to do what we do.” Diaz admitted that after a decade away, it was a surprise to find that the door had been opened for her again. She continued, “That the door was even open for me after a decade was amazing. I loved those 10 years for me and my family, but I thought, ‘If I let this go away, if I don’t engage again, and if I don’t give it chance, I am a fool. It might be the beginning of something, but its here now and I am grateful for it.”
Though she’s excited about her return, Diaz is still uncertain about the future of her acting career. When asked if Back in Action marks a full return, she said, “I don’t know how I view it. It’s hard to say. If I say it then it becomes this thing. I reserve the right to say no to doing a movie ever again, and I reserve the right to say yes if I decide to.”
The Berlin premiere of Back in Action on January 15 marked Diaz’s first red carpet event in over a decade. Dazzling in wide-legged jeans, a sheer black top, and a striking lip colour, she posed alongside Foxx. Back in Action follows ex-CIA agents Emily and Matt as they return to their jobs after their undercover identities are exposed.
Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx (@netflix Instagram)
For Diaz, this marks the latest chapter in a long history of collaboration with Jamie Foxx. The duo first worked together on the 1999 film Any Given Sunday, and more recently in the 2014 remake of Annie. Foxx, who helped persuade Diaz to return, said it was all about making the experience fun. "So it was literally, 'Do you wanna have some fun? Just have some fun!' And I think that's what brought her to it,” he said.
While Diaz embraces her return to the big screen, she also reflects on her personal life. In a 2021 interview with Kevin Hart, she admitted that her priorities shifted when she turned 40. "There were so many parts of my life... that I wasn’t touching or managing," she shared, highlighting the importance of personal growth and family life in her decision to step away from the limelight.
Cameron Diaz has spoken about why she took a break from acting in several interviews. She revealed that she stepped away from the film industry to focus on her personal life, particularly her family. In a 2021 appearance on Kevin Hart's Hart to Heart show, she explained that around the age of 40, she realised there were aspects of her life that she was not fully managing, and it became a time to step back and "create a life" outside of the public eye.
Diaz also talked about the difficulty of balancing her career with being a wife and mother. She shared that she wanted to focus on her family, including her husband Benji Madden and their children, rather than continue to be on set for long hours.
She had also mentioned that it was important for her to take a break for personal growth, and she needed to step away from the intense nature of the film industry. Diaz said that she had been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to leave acting and focus on herself for a decade, which allowed her to come to a place where she felt ready to return.
The decision to take a break from acting wasn't driven by negative experiences, but rather a shift in priorities, as she embraced new roles in her personal life. The return to acting, with Back in Action, came after Jamie Foxx encouraged a comeback, urging her to "just have some fun" with the project.
