Cameron Michelle Diaz (born August 30, 1972) is an American actress and former model known for her roles in popular comedies and animated films . Born in San Diego, California, Diaz was raised in Long Beach as the daughter of Emilio Diaz, an oil company foreman of Cuban-American descent, and Billie Diaz (née Early), of Italian and German ancestry . She attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School, where future rapper Snoop Dogg was a classmate . At age 16, Diaz began a successful modeling career, appearing on magazine covers such as Seventeen and Mademoiselle and in advertising campaigns for Levi’s, Calvin Klein, and Coca-Cola .
Career
1990s: Breakthrough and Rise to Stardom
Diaz made her film debut in the comedy The Mask (1994), playing the female lead Tina Carlyle opposite Jim Carrey. After nearly a dozen auditions, she landed the role, and the movie became a box-office hit that catapulted her to stardom . Over the next few years she appeared in a mix of small films (such as The Last Supper (1995) and Feeling Minnesota (1996)) and mainstream comedies. In 1997 she earned praise and box-office success in My Best Friend’s Wedding (playing a bride-to-be opposite Julia Roberts’ character) . Diaz’s comedic breakthrough came with the 1998 hit There’s Something About Mary, in which she starred as Mary Jensen; the film’s crude humor and popularity established her as a leading actress in Hollywood .
Diaz demonstrated her range by taking on diverse roles in 1999. She played Lotte Schwartz, a dowdy pet-shop clerk, in Spike Jonze’s surreal comedy Being John Malkovich, and later that year portrayed Christina Pagniacci, the ruthless owner of a football team, in Oliver Stone’s drama Any Given Sunday .
2000s: Continued Success and Major Franchises
Entering the new millennium, Diaz’s career remained on an upswing. In 2000 she starred as Natalie Cook in the action-comedy Charlie’s Angels, alongside Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu . The film’s success led to a sequel, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003). In 2001, Diaz lent her voice to Princess Fiona in DreamWorks’ animated blockbuster Shrek, opposite Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy . The film was a huge hit and spawned three sequels (2004, 2007, 2010), in which Diaz reprised her role. Also in 2001 she appeared in Cameron Crowe’s thriller Vanilla Sky (co-starring Tom Cruise) .
In 2002 Diaz co-starred with Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis in Martin Scorsese’s epic Gangs of New York . She continued with romantic comedies and action films: The Holiday (2006, with Kate Winslet) and What Happens in Vegas (2008) . In 2010 she teamed with Tom Cruise again for the action-comedy Knight and Day, and in 2013 she appeared in Ridley Scott’s thriller The Counselor . Diaz’s final screen roles before her hiatus included the comedies The Other Woman and the remake of Annie (both 2014) .
Hiatus and Return (2015–present)
After Annie (2014), Diaz took an extended break from acting . In January 2015 she married musician Benji Madden (guitarist of Good Charlotte) . The couple later became parents to two children: a daughter named Raddix (born in 2019) and a son named Cardinal (born in 2024) . During her hiatus, Diaz co-authored two health and wellness books (The Body Book in 2013 and The Longevity Book in 2016) and in 2020 co-founded the “clean” wine brand Avaline .
Diaz returned to acting in 2024. Her first film after a decade was the Netflix action-comedy Back in Action (released January 2024), in which she co-starred with Jamie Foxx . The project was announced in 2022, and Diaz later described being convinced by Foxx to re-enter filmmaking . She has since signed on to star in another Netflix comedy, Bad Day (in production as of 2025) , and will reprise her role as Princess Fiona in the forthcoming Shrek 5 (scheduled for 2026) .
Personal Life
Diaz married Benji Madden in a small ceremony in Beverly Hills in January 2015 . The couple is known for keeping their family life private. They have two children: a daughter, Raddix (born 2019), and a son, Cardinal (born 2024) . Diaz and Madden have stated that they intend to shield their children from the public eye and social media.
Outside of acting, Diaz has pursued business ventures and writing. She co-wrote two popular wellness books (The Body Book and The Longevity Book) and launched Avaline, a wine company producing “clean” (additive-free) wines, in 2020 . In interviews, she has spoken about prioritizing her family and health during her years away from Hollywood.
Acting Credits and Accolades
- Notable film roles: The Mask (1994) as Tina Carlyle; My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997); There’s Something About Mary (1998) as Mary; Being John Malkovich (1999) as Lotte Schwartz; Charlie’s Angels (2000) and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003) as Natalie Cook; Shrek (2001) and its sequels (voice of Princess Fiona); Vanilla Sky (2001); Gangs of New York (2002); The Holiday (2006); What Happens in Vegas (2008); Knight and Day (2010); Bad Teacher (2011); The Other Woman (2014); Annie (2014); Back in Action (2024); and upcoming Bad Day (TBA) and Shrek 5 (2026).
- Awards and nominations: Diaz has earned multiple award nominations. She received four Golden Globe Award nominations (1999–2003) and three Screen Actors Guild Award nominations . She won Best Supporting Actress from the New York Film Critics Circle for There’s Something About Mary and also earned an MTV Movie Award . Despite her popularity, Diaz has no Academy Award nominations to date.
References
- Encyclopædia Britannica, “Cameron Diaz,” Britannica (updated Oct. 2, 2025).
- People Magazine, Brenton Blanchet, “Cameron Diaz Is Back Onscreen After 10 Years Away” (Jan. 16, 2025).
- People Magazine, Jen Juneau, “Cameron Diaz Continues Her Return to Movies” (July 15, 2025).
- Golden Globes Awards Official Website, “Cameron Diaz – Golden Globe Nominations.”
- Hollywood Walk of Fame – Cameron Diaz biography summary. (hollywoodchamber.net)
- Cameron Diaz – Awards and Nominations (fandom wiki) (for SAG details)
- InStyle, Christina Perrier, “All About Cameron Diaz’s Two Kids, Raddix and Cardinal” (Oct. 15, 2025).
Primary Keyword: Cameron Diaz Biography
Secondary Keywords: Charlie's Angels, Shrek actress, There's Something About Mary
