The Real Truth About Cameron Diaz’s Return To Acting After 8-Year Hiatus

But recently, she surprised fans by announcing that she’s making a Hollywood comeback. Here’s the truth behind her decision.

Why Cameron Diaz Took A Break From Acting

In 2018, Diaz took a break from acting because she felt like she’d lost herself. “A peace. I got a peace in my soul because I finally was taking care of myself,” the actress told Gwyneth Paltrow in a 2020 episode of Goop Health: The Sessions. “I feel grounded and light.” She also acknowledged that her choice was “a strange thing to say” and that a “lot of people won’t understand” why she had to do it.

“It’s so intense to work at that level and be that public and put yourself out there,” explained the There’s Something About Mary star. “There’s a lot of energy coming at you at all times when you’re really visible as an actor. I’m sensitive to some energy and not others. I do get the overwhelming energy of the attention that’s being put toward me.” ​​​​

She also realized that she wasn’t happy outside of acting. “I really looked at my life and I saw what I had been — when you’re making a movie, it’s the perfect excuse, they own you — and I realized I handed off parts of my life to all these other people,” she continued. “They took it. I basically had to take it back and take responsibility for my life.”

Still, it wasn’t easy finding her joy. “I really needed to know that I could take care of myself [and to learn] that I knew how to be an adult,” Diaz said of her journey. “I learned a lot about myself. It’s painful. It hurts. It’s scary.” She also revealed that her decision brought some challenges in her relationship with her husband. “I credit Benj a lot. I broke that mirror about a thousand times when he put it up to me,” she said.

Cameron Diaz Turned Down ‘Numerous Offers’ During Acting Hiatus

Diaz rejected many projects during her acting hiatus. “Cameron had been going at a hundred miles an hour for so many years, and it’s no exaggeration to say acting had consumed her life to a degree she found unhealthy,”. “she loved the experience of being an actor and will always be so grateful for those opportunities.”

The insider added that the Bad Teacher star has remained close friends with her former Charlie’s Angels co-star, Drew Barrymore, as well as Gwyneth Paltrow.

“[They] were both hugely supportive and pleased for her to forge her own career path,” the source said of Diaz’s longtime friends. “Naturally they asked if she was certain this was what she wanted, but there was no doubt in their minds that Cameron could always come back if she wanted to. It wasn’t and still isn’t a total forever thing. But once the decision was made, Cameron never really looked back. She’s had numerous offers but politely declined them each and every time.”

Why Cameron Diaz Decided To Return To Acting

In June 2022, Diaz announced that she was returning to acting with her upcoming Netflix film with Jamie Foxx, Back in Action.

“I miss aspects of acting, or making movies. Yeah, making movies is a particular skill set that is fun to exercise and be a part of,” the actress said of her comeback “But yeah, it’s a different lifestyle. And you kind of have to be ready to do that.”

The Mask star’s husband convinced her to return to acting. “He encouraged her to unretire,” said a source. Another insider said that Diaz “was ready to act again. She just needed a push. Benji has always been very supportive of Cameron in what she wants to do, especially in her career.”

“She doesn’t want acting to overtake her life now like it did before. All the parts fit into place,” added a source who said Back in Action was the “right movie with the right costar at the right time.”