Cameron Diaz Returns to Hollywood in Netflix’s ‘Back In Action’

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Cameron Diaz is making her long-awaited return to Hollywood with the Netflix film “Back In Action,” her first major project in a decade. The movie, co-starring Jamie Foxx, marks Diaz’s comeback after stepping away from acting to focus on family and other ventures.

Diaz, 51, revealed during a recent interview that Foxx played a pivotal role in her decision to return to the big screen. “I had 10 years of not paying attention to anything,” she said. “Not accepting any advances, and then I got this script and thought that maybe it was time.” Diaz praised Foxx, calling him “the most talented man in the entertainment business” and emphasizing that working with him made the transition back to acting worthwhile.

The duo previously shared the screen in “Any Given Sunday” (1999) and “Annie” (2014), and their chemistry remains a highlight of the new film. “Back In Action” follows the story of former spies, played by Diaz and Foxx, who are forced back into action after years of living a quiet suburban life with their two children.

Diaz, who began her career as a model and starred in iconic films like “There’s Something About Mary,” has spent the past decade focusing on her family and entrepreneurial pursuits. She and her husband, musician Benji Madden, share two children. “I loved those 10 years for me and my family,” Diaz said. “But I thought, ‘If I let this go away, if I don’t engage again, and if I don’t give it a chance, I am a fool.’”

The actress expressed gratitude for the opportunity to return to filmmaking, calling it a “privilege.” “That the door was even open for me after a decade was amazing,” she said.

Directed by Seth Gordon, “Back In Action” blends action, comedy, and family dynamics as the characters navigate their dual lives as spies and parents. The film also stars Glenn Close as Diaz’s mother and Andrew Scott as a jealous MI6 agent. Despite its predictable plotlines, the movie has been praised for Diaz’s charm and her on-screen chemistry with Foxx.

“Back In Action” is rated PG-13 for sequences of violence, action, suggestive references, and strong language. The film runs for 114 minutes and is now streaming on Netflix.