Cameron Diaz Explains Why Now Is The Right Moment To Come Out Of Acting Retirement

Cameron Diaz has opened up about her decision to return to the world of acting after a decade-long break.

After a triple-punch of poorly-received films in 2014 (the rom-com The Other Woman, the raunchy comedy Sex Tape and the musical remake Annie), the Bafta nominee made the decision to take a step back from the spotlight to pursue other opportunities.

After 11 years, Cameron is now about to return to the movie world in the aptly-named Netflix comedy Back In Action, in which she and Jamie Foxx play a pair of married former spies.

Speaking to Empire about her reasons for returning to acting, Cameron said: “I thought that if I was going to come back and do a movie, the only person I’d come back and do it with would be [Jamie Foxx]. Seriously.”

The Charlie’s Angels star continued: “I had other opportunities along the way and I was always saying, ’No. I’m not doing it, I’ve told you… What? Jamie asked? Jamie? Oh, I can do a movie with Jamie!’.”

As for what the future holds, Cameron added: “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. I’m not defining anything. I’m just open to whatever makes sense for me and my family at any given moment.”

Cameron told Variety last year that her acting hiatus was “just something I had to do”.

“It felt like something I had to do to reclaim my own life. And I just really didn’t care about anything else,” she said.

“Nobody’s opinion, nobody’s success, no one’s offer, no one’s anything could change my mind about my decision of taking care of myself and building the life that I really wanted to have. It really comes to: What are you passionate about? For me, it was to build my family.”

Having now returned to the acting world, Cameron already has another project expected to debut later this year, sharing the screen with Keanu Reeves in the Jonah Hill comedy Outcome.

She’ll also reprise her role as Princess Fiona in the fifth Shrek film, which is slated for release in 2026.

Back In Action arrives on Netflix this Friday 17 January.