# Cameron Diaz filmography
The filmography of American actress [Cameron Diaz](https://www.edgepedia.org/cameron-diaz) covers her feature film work from her debut in the 1994 comedy *The Mask* through a 2014 retirement from acting and a return to the screen in the 2025 Netflix film *Back in Action*. The [American Film Institute](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-film-institute) catalog lists 33 titles in her cast filmography, most of them lead or co-lead roles.[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/173505)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Film debut | *The Mask* (1994), opposite Jim Carrey, her first onscreen performance[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/cameron_diaz) |
| Highest-rated film | *Being John Malkovich* (1999), 94% on the Tomatometer[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/cameron_diaz) |
| Lowest-rated film | *Keys to Tulsa* (1997), 10%[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/cameron_diaz) |
| Signature voice role | Princess Fiona in the *Shrek* films (2001, 2004, 2007, 2010)[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/173505) |
| Box-office marker | *There's Something About Mary* (1998) grossed $176 million and brought her a substantial salary increase[3](https://kar.kent.ac.uk/86342/1/432872.pdf) |
| Hiatus | No films after 2014's *Annie* until *Back in Action* (2025)[4](https://www.thewrap.com/why-cameron-diaz-quit-acting-for-10-years/) |
| Return slate | *Back in Action* (2025), *Outcome* (2026), and *Shrek 5* (2027)[5](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/im-pumped-cameron-diaz-finally-landed-new-rom-com) |
## The Mask and the 1990s
Diaz, born in 1972 in San Diego, California, began modeling at 16 and worked in advertising campaigns for [Calvin Klein](https://www.edgepedia.org/calvin-klein), Coca-Cola, and Levi's before acting.[6](https://www.biography.com/actors/cameron-diaz) Her first film role was in the 1994 blockbuster action-comedy *The Mask* with [Jim Carrey](https://www.edgepedia.org/jim-carrey). She had no previous acting experience, originally auditioned for a supporting character, and after twelve callbacks was hired to play the torch-singing mob moll Tina Carlyle, the female lead.[6](https://www.biography.com/actors/cameron-diaz) Rotten Tomatoes records the film as her first-ever onscreen performance, noting that though originally slated for a minor role, she won over the producers and took the lead actress role.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/cameron_diaz)
While training for the live-action film version of the video game *Mortal Kombat*, Diaz sustained a wrist injury and left that project. She then made a string of smaller independent films: *The Last Supper* (1995), *Feeling Minnesota* (1996) with [Keanu Reeves](https://www.edgepedia.org/keanu-reeves), *She's the One* (1996) with [Ed Burns](https://www.edgepedia.org/ed-burns) and [Jennifer Aniston](https://www.edgepedia.org/jennifer-aniston), and *Head Above Water* (1996) with Harvey Keitel.[6](https://www.biography.com/actors/cameron-diaz) The AFI catalog also credits her in *Freddie* (1996) and the 1997 films *Head Above Water*, *Keys to Tulsa*, and *My Best Friend's Wedding*.[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/173505)
Her breakthrough to A-list stardom came with two 1997 and 1998 hits. In *My Best Friend's Wedding* she played Kimmy Wallace opposite [Julia Roberts](https://www.edgepedia.org/julia-roberts); Rotten Tomatoes describes the exuberant co-starring role as one that "managed to pull the rug out from under the feet of star Julia Roberts."[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/cameron_diaz) *There's Something About Mary* (1998), the [Farrelly brothers](https://www.edgepedia.org/farrelly-brothers)' comedy in which she played the title character, cemented her status atop the A-list and grossed $176 million at the box office.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/cameron_diaz) • [3](https://kar.kent.ac.uk/86342/1/432872.pdf) Diaz earned a Golden Globe nomination, an American Comedy Award, an MTV Movie Award for best female performance, and a New York Film Critics Circle Award for best actress for the film.[7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/cameron-diaz)
## 1999 to 2010: prestige roles and Shrek
Diaz's highest-rated film is [Spike Jonze](https://www.edgepedia.org/spike-jonze)'s *Being John Malkovich* (1999), in which she played Lotte Schwartz, the unhappy wife of [John Cusack](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-cusack)'s puppeteer, completely against type. The performance brought Best Supporting Actress nominations from BAFTA, the Golden Globes, and the [Screen Actors Guild](https://www.edgepedia.org/screen-actors-guild), among other organizations.[8](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/cameron-diazs-10-best-movies-2/) She followed it the same year with *Any Given Sunday*.[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/173505)
Beginning in 2001, Diaz voiced [Princess Fiona](https://www.edgepedia.org/princess-fiona) in the *Shrek* animated films, a role she reprised through *Shrek 2* (2004), *Shrek the Third* (2007), and *Shrek Forever After* (2010).[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/173505) • [6](https://www.biography.com/actors/cameron-diaz) Around that franchise she alternated between blockbusters and drama: *Charlie's Angels* (2000) and *Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle* (2003), Martin Scorsese's period drama *Gangs of New York* (2002), *Vanilla Sky* (2001), *In Her Shoes* (2005), *The Holiday* (2006), *What Happens in Vegas* (2008), *My Sister's Keeper* (2009), *The Box* (2009), and *Knight and Day* (2010).[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/173505) • [6](https://www.biography.com/actors/cameron-diaz)
## 2011 to 2014 and the hiatus
Her final stretch of screen acting before retirement ran from *The Green Hornet* (2011) and *Bad Teacher* (2011), in which she played teacher Elizabeth Halsey, through *What to Expect When You're Expecting* (2012), *The Counselor* (2013), and three 2014 releases: *The Other Woman*, *Sex Tape*, and the remake of *Annie*, in which she played Miss Hannigan.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/cameron_diaz) • [1](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/173505)
**The decade away.** In 2014, after roughly 20 years and, by [CBS News](https://www.edgepedia.org/cbs-news)'s count, 40 roles, Diaz stepped away from acting, at a time when she was described as the highest-paid actress over 40.[9](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cameron-diaz-on-acting-family-and-her-wine-label-avaline/) Her last film before the break was 2014's *Annie*.[4](https://www.thewrap.com/why-cameron-diaz-quit-acting-for-10-years/) She said she left to focus on family and to "reclaim" her own life, married [Benji Madden](https://www.edgepedia.org/benji-madden) of the band Good Charlotte a year after stepping back, and launched the organic and vegan wine label Avaline in 2020.[9](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cameron-diaz-on-acting-family-and-her-wine-label-avaline/) • [4](https://www.thewrap.com/why-cameron-diaz-quit-acting-for-10-years/)
## Return: 2025 and onward
Diaz returned in *Back in Action* (2025), a Netflix action comedy directed by Seth Gordon, reuniting with her *Annie* and *Any Given Sunday* co-star Jamie Foxx. The film casts her as Emily, a former secret agent living as a suburban parent who is pulled back into espionage with her family.[10](https://time.com/7207984/cameron-diaz-back-in-action/) • [11](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/cameron-diaz-interview-back-in-action?inapp=true) Diaz said she chose the project because of Foxx: "If I'm going to do it, Jamie's the guy."[11](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/cameron-diaz-interview-back-in-action?inapp=true)
After *Back in Action* she lined up further projects, including *Shrek 5*, scheduled for 2027, *Outcome*, a film written by, directed by, and starring Jonah Hill that reteams her with Keanu Reeves and is set for 2026, and an untitled romantic comedy with Stephen Merchant.[5](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/im-pumped-cameron-diaz-finally-landed-new-rom-com) • [12](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/cameron-diazs-next-movie-reunion-keanu-reeves-outcome-feeling-minnesota)
## Reception and awards
Diaz has never been nominated for an Academy Award; her major nominations include a BAFTA Film Award, four Golden Globe nominations (for *There's Something About Mary*, *Being John Malkovich*, *Vanilla Sky*, and *Gangs of New York*), and Screen Actors Guild nominations for *Being John Malkovich* and *Vanilla Sky*. She won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for best actress for *There's Something About Mary* and the Boston Society of Film Critics Award for best supporting actress for *Vanilla Sky*.[7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/cameron-diaz) • [13](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000139/awards/) A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was added in her honor in 2009.[14](https://pad.mymovies.it/filmclub/2013/12/002/MyMovies.pdf)
## References
1. [Cameron Diaz, AFI Catalog of Feature Films](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/173505)
2. [Cameron Diaz Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/cameron_diaz)
3. [PHOTO(COPIES) OF CAMERON DIAZ, PhD thesis, University of Kent](https://kar.kent.ac.uk/86342/1/432872.pdf)
4. [Why Did Cameron Diaz Take a 10-Year Break From Acting?, TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/why-cameron-diaz-quit-acting-for-10-years/)
5. [I'm Pumped Cameron Diaz (Finally) Landed A New Rom-Com, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/im-pumped-cameron-diaz-finally-landed-new-rom-com)
6. [Cameron Diaz - Age, Movies & Husband, Biography.com](https://www.biography.com/actors/cameron-diaz)
7. [Cameron Diaz, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/cameron-diaz)
8. [Cameron Diaz's 10 Best Movies, Rotten Tomatoes Editorial](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/cameron-diazs-10-best-movies-2/)
9. [Cameron Diaz on why she hit "pause" on acting, CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cameron-diaz-on-acting-family-and-her-wine-label-avaline/)
10. [Thank God Cameron Diaz Is Back, TIME](https://time.com/7207984/cameron-diaz-back-in-action/)
11. [Cameron Diaz Back in Action Interview, Netflix Tudum](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/cameron-diaz-interview-back-in-action?inapp=true)
12. [Cameron Diaz's Next Movie Is A Reunion, Too, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/cameron-diazs-next-movie-reunion-keanu-reeves-outcome-feeling-minnesota)
13. [Cameron Diaz - Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000139/awards/)
14. [MyMovies press document (Italian), Padua](https://pad.mymovies.it/filmclub/2013/12/002/MyMovies.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Actor filmographies and performer list articles › Surnames A to F*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license