Cameron Diaz is coming out of acting retirement for a new project with Jamie Foxx.
The actor, who hasn’t starred in a film since 2014’s Annie remake, announced on Wednesday (June 29) she will “un-retire” for Netflix comedy film Back In Action.
Foxx, who starred alongside Diaz in Annie and 1999 sports drama Any Given Sunday, made the announcement by sharing audio from a phone call between him, Diaz and NFL star Tom Brady – who famously retired this year and then rejoined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 40 days later.
Speaking in the call, Brady said: “I was talking to Jamie and he said you needed a few tips on how to un-retire. I’m relatively successful at un-retiring.”
“Honestly… exactly what I needed,” Diaz replied.
Cameron I hope you aren’t mad I recorded this, but no turning back now. Had to call in the GOAT to bring back another GOAT. @CameronDiaz and I are BACK IN ACTION – our new movie with @NetflixFilm. Production starting later this year!! 🦊🐐 pic.twitter.com/vyaGrUmbWb
— Jamie Foxx (@iamjamiefoxx) June 29, 2022
Confirming the news on Instagram, Diaz wrote: “@IAMJAMIEFOXX only you could get me back in action!! I can’t frickin wait it’s gonna be a blast!”
Back In Action is directed by Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses, Identity Thief) from a script he wrote with Brendan O’Brien (Bad Neighbours). Production is expected to start later this year.
In August last year, Diaz explained that she took a step back from Hollywood to manage other aspects of her life.
“When you do something at a really high level for a long period of time, when you’re the person that’s sort of delivering on this one thing, everything around, all parts of you that isn’t that, has to be sort of handed off to other people,” Diaz said.
“Just, the management of me as a human being… Cameron Diaz is a machine. But for my personal, spiritual self, I was realising that one part of me that functioned at a high level wasn’t enough.”
She added: “It’s fun to do, I love it, I love acting, I could go forever, I sometimes feel like I have unlimited energy and inertia. I just looked around and there were so many parts of my life that I wasn’t touching and that I wasn’t managing, and I couldn’t really manage, because everything was so massive.”
Diaz made her film debut in 1994’s The Mask opposite Jim Carrey, before starring in films like My Best Friend’s Wedding, There’s Something About Mary, Being John Malkovich and Vanilla Sky.
