Cameron Diaz, star of the 90s and 2000s, makes her big screen comeback on January 17th in Back in Action , a Netflix action comedy where she co-stars with Jamie Foxx. After an eleven-year hiatus, the iconic actress of Charlie's Angels and There's Something About Mary returns in a role that resonates with her personal and professional life.
An expected return in a close-knit duo
Back in Action marks the third collaboration between Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx, following Any Given Sunday (1999) and Annie (2014), her last film before her early retirement. This long-standing partnership played a decisive role in her decision to return to acting. In an interview, the actress confided: "Jamie called me and I couldn't say no. If I was going to come back, it had to be with him." In the film, she plays a former CIA agent who returns to duty alongside her partner, played by Foxx, in an adventure blending action and family humor.
A break to refocus on family and projects
During her decade-long absence, Cameron Diaz dedicated herself to her family and new personal projects. Married to musician Benji Madden since 2015, she has two children, Raddix and Cardinal, born via surrogacy in 2019 and 2024. In addition, the actress focused on her company, Avaline, an organic wine brand. "I took a step back to build the life I've always dreamed of: a family and a fulfilling daily life," she explained at Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit in October 2024.
Her husband has also been a major support for her return to acting. Diaz said he encouraged her to grow professionally after devoting herself to their home: "He told me, 'It's our turn to support you. Show us what you're capable of.'"
A new phase in his career?
While Back in Action was a pleasant surprise for her fans, Cameron Diaz remains discreet about her future in Hollywood. She is, however, expected to appear in another project, Outcome , alongside Keanu Reeves and Jonah Hill. This double comeback could mark a new stage in an already prolific career. For now, the actress is enjoying this return to work, happy to have found a balance between her personal and professional life.
Available today on Netflix, Back in Action promises to combine humor, action, and nostalgia to celebrate the return of a star who has marked the cinema of the last two decades.
