Cameron Diaz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cameron Diaz
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Diaz in 2012
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Cameron Michelle Diaz
August 30, 1972 San Diego, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) |
Benji Madden
(m. 2015) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives |
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| Awards | Full list |
Cameron Michelle Diaz (born August 30, 1972) is an American actress. She is known for her many roles in both funny (comedy) and serious (drama) movies. Her films have earned a lot of money at the box office. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, her romantic comedies made her a very popular and successful actress. She has received many awards and nominations, including for the British Academy Film Award and four Golden Globe Awards.
Cameron Diaz was born in San Diego, California, and grew up in Long Beach. While she was still in high school, she started modeling with Elite Model Management. She began her acting career at age 21 in the comedy movie The Mask (1994), starring with Jim Carrey. After a supporting role in the romantic comedy My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), she became even more famous for her role in There's Something About Mary (1998). This movie also earned her a Golden Globe nomination. Later, she showed her talent in dramatic roles in movies like Any Given Sunday and Being John Malkovich (both 1999).
Diaz was praised for her roles in Vanilla Sky (2001) and Gangs of New York (2002). She also had big success in the action comedy Charlie's Angels (2000) and its sequel in 2003. Many people also know her voice as Princess Fiona in the Shrek movies (starting in 2001). Her other popular films include The Holiday (2006), What Happens in Vegas (2008), Knight and Day (2010), and Bad Teacher (2011).
Cameron Diaz has also written two health books: The Body Book (2013), which was a bestseller, and The Longevity Book (2016). In 2015, Diaz married Good Charlotte guitarist Benji Madden. They have two children.
Contents
Early life and modeling
Cameron Michelle Diaz was born on August 30, 1972, in San Diego, California. Her mother, Billie, was an import/export agent, and her father, Emilio Diaz, was a foreman for an oil company. Cameron has an older sister named Chimene. Her father's family came from Cuba, and before that, from Spain. Her mother's family has mostly English and German roots.
Diaz grew up in Long Beach. She went to Los Cerritos Elementary School and then Long Beach Polytechnic High School, where she was a schoolmate of the famous rapper Snoop Dogg.
When she was 16, while still in high school, Diaz signed a modeling contract with Elite Model Management. She appeared in ads for big brands like Calvin Klein and Levi's. The next year, at age 17, she was on the cover of Seventeen magazine. Diaz also modeled in Australia for a few months and filmed a commercial for Coca-Cola in Sydney in 1991.
Career highlights
Starting in movies: 1994–1998
When Cameron Diaz was 21, she tried out for a role in the movie The Mask. She got the part of Tina Carlyle, a jazz singer, even though she had no acting experience before. She took acting lessons after being chosen for the role. The Mask became one of the top ten highest-earning movies of 1994.
After The Mask, Diaz acted in several other films. She had a main role in the comedy Feeling Minnesota (1996) with Keanu Reeves. She also starred with Jennifer Aniston in She's the One (1996).
In 1997, Diaz returned to big mainstream movies with the romantic comedy My Best Friend's Wedding. She starred alongside Julia Roberts. The movie was a huge success around the world and is still seen as one of the best romantic comedies ever.
In 1998, Diaz starred in There's Something About Mary. She played the main character, Mary, a woman in Miami who has many men trying to win her over. Critics praised her performance, saying she had that "irresistible 'something'." This movie was a huge surprise hit and was the highest-earning comedy of 1998 in North America. It made over US$369 million worldwide. For this role, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy.
New roles and big success: 1999–2004
In 1999, Cameron Diaz starred in Being John Malkovich, a unique fantasy film. She played the pet-loving wife of a puppeteer who finds a secret way into the mind of actor John Malkovich. Critics loved her performance, saying she was "hilarious" and showed her talent in a new way. She was nominated for several awards for this role, including a Golden Globe and a BAFTA. Her next movie in 1999 was Any Given Sunday, a sports drama where she played the young owner of a football team.
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In the movie Charlie's Angels (2000), Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu played a team of investigators. The movie was a big hit, earning over US$264 million. In 2001, Diaz appeared in Vanilla Sky, playing the former girlfriend of a rich publisher (Tom Cruise). Her performance was called "ferociously emotional" by The New York Times. She earned more nominations for Best Supporting Actress for this role.
Also in 2001, she lent her voice to Princess Fiona in the animated movie Shrek. In the story, her character is under a curse that turns her into an ogress every sunset. She is rescued by the main character, Shrek, and they fall in love. Shrek was a huge success, earning over US$484 million worldwide, and it was the first movie to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
In 2002, Diaz starred in the romantic comedy The Sweetest Thing. After Shrek, Diaz also starred in Martin Scorsese's historical drama Gangs of New York. She played a pickpocket and the love interest of Leonardo DiCaprio's character. The film was well-received and earned US$193 million worldwide. Diaz then returned to her popular roles in the sequels Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003) and Shrek 2 (2004).
Becoming a well-known actress: 2005–2011
In 2005, Diaz starred in In Her Shoes with Toni Collette and Shirley MacLaine. This movie was about the relationship between two sisters and their grandmother. Critics praised Diaz's performance as a wild and dyslexic sister. She then appeared in the romantic comedy The Holiday (2006) with Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Jack Black. In this movie, she played an American movie producer who swaps homes with a British woman. The Holiday was a big success, earning over US$205 million worldwide.
In 2007, Diaz's only film was Shrek the Third, the third movie in the Shrek series. Even though reviews were mixed, it earned US$798 million worldwide. The same year, she also voiced Princess Fiona in a Christmas TV special. Diaz earned a lot of money for her roles in the Shrek sequel and her next film, What Happens in Vegas, with Ashton Kutcher. This romantic comedy, where two strangers wake up married after winning a jackpot, earned US$219 million.
In 2009, she starred in My Sister's Keeper and The Box. My Sister's Keeper was a drama based on a novel, where Diaz played a mother whose child is dying of leukemia. It earned US$95 million worldwide. The Box was a psychological horror film where a couple receives a mysterious box that offers them money if they press a button, knowing someone will die.
In 2010, Forbes magazine named Diaz one of the richest female celebrities. That year, she also returned as Princess Fiona in Shrek Forever After, the fourth Shrek movie. This film earned over US$752 million worldwide. She also voiced Princess Fiona in a Halloween TV special. In 2010, Diaz reunited with her Vanilla Sky co-star Tom Cruise in the action comedy Knight and Day. Diaz played a classic car restorer who gets involved with a secret agent. The movie earned US$262 million worldwide.
In 2011, Diaz played a journalist in The Green Hornet, a superhero action comedy. The film earned US$228 million. The same year, she starred with Justin Timberlake and Jason Segel in the comedy Bad Teacher. Even though critics had mixed feelings, the movie was a commercial hit, earning US$216 million worldwide.
Focus on comedies and break from acting: 2012–2014
In 2012, Diaz was in What to Expect When You're Expecting, a comedy based on a pregnancy guide. She played a dancer who becomes pregnant. The movie earned US$84.4 million worldwide. Diaz also voiced a character in the animated film A Liar's Autobiography (2012).
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Diaz's only film in 2013 was The Counselor, a thriller with Michael Fassbender and Brad Pitt. In this movie, she played a character who was a pathological liar. While the film itself received negative reviews, her performance was praised as one of her best recently.
In 2014, Diaz starred in the romantic comedy The Other Woman with Leslie Mann and Kate Upton. This movie was about three women who team up after finding out they are all dating the same man. It was a big success at the box office, earning US$196.7 million globally.
Her last film that year was Annie, a movie based on the famous musical. She played Miss Colleen Hannigan, the strict head of the foster home. Annie earned US$133 million worldwide. After Annie, Cameron Diaz decided to take a break from acting. She said in 2017 that she was tired of traveling for filming, and she confirmed her retirement from acting in March 2018.
Acting break and return: 2015–present
After Annie, Diaz took a break from acting. In June 2016, she released her second book, The Longevity Book. She has also invested in health and science companies. In 2020, Diaz started her own organic wine brand called Avaline. In 2022, she was a guest judge on the TV show RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 7.
In June 2022, it was announced that Cameron Diaz would return to acting. She will star with Jamie Foxx in the Netflix action-comedy Back in Action, which is set to be released in 2025. In March 2024, it was also announced that she might star in another movie called Outcome with Keanu Reeves. She will also return to voice Princess Fiona in Shrek 5, which is planned for release in 2026.
Personal life
Relationships and family
Cameron Diaz has been in relationships with several well-known people throughout her career. From 1996 to 1998, she dated her There's Something About Mary co-star Matt Dillon. She was also engaged to actor and singer Jared Leto from 1999 to 2003. From 2003 to 2006, she dated singer Justin Timberlake. Later, from 2010 to 2011, she dated former baseball player Alex Rodriguez.
On January 5, 2015, Diaz married musician Benji Madden at her home in Beverly Hills, California. They were introduced by her close friend Nicole Richie, who is married to Benji's twin brother, Joel Madden. In December 2019, Cameron and Benji became parents to their first child, a daughter, with the help of a surrogate. In March 2024, they announced they had a second child, a son.
Other work
Cameron Diaz is known for caring about the environment. She was one of the first celebrities to drive a Toyota Prius hybrid car. She also helped promote Al Gore's Live Earth campaign, which aimed to raise awareness about climate change.
Diaz has also supported the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), which is a large organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. She has spoken out to support military families.
Awards and recognition
Cameron Diaz has received many awards and nominations for her acting. These include nominations for four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a British Academy Film Award. In 2016, IndieWire magazine said she was one of the greatest actors who had never been nominated for an Academy Award.
Images for kids
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Diaz in 2012
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Diaz with director Martin Scorsese and actor Leonardo DiCaprio for Gangs of New York
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Diaz at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival
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Diaz at a press conference for Knight & Day in Paris in 2010
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Kate Upton, Diaz, and Leslie Mann at the premiere of The Other Woman in 2014
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Receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2009
See also
In Spanish: Cameron Diaz para niños
