Becoming only the second actress in Hollywood to join the $20 million club, (Julia Roberts was the first), Cameron Diaz has done more than just make a name for herself. Diaz was born in 1972 in San Diego, Calif. While attending a party in Hollywood, a photographer took notice of Diaz and set her up with Elite Modeling Agency within a week. At the age of 16, she left high school to pursue a modeling career. Throughout the next five years, Diaz lived in places such as Morocco, Mexico, Australia, Japan, and Paris. By the age of 21, Diaz moved back to California. Shortly after, she took a new turn in pursuing a career when she tried out for the movie “The Mask.” Despite having no previous acting experience, aside from a little commercial work for products such as Coke and L.A Gear, Diaz landed the role that would start her career as one of the highest-paid female actresses of our time.
After starring opposite Jim Carrey in “The Mask,” Diaz decided to focus on an acting career. To follow-up “The Mask” she appeared in several independent films including “The Last Supper” (1995), and “Feeling Minnesota” (1996).
By 1997, Diaz was recognized as star status quo after appearing in “My Best Friends Wedding” opposite Julia Roberts. In 1998, Diaz starred in one of the years biggest box-office hits, “There’s Something About Mary,” with Ben Stiller. Following this, Diaz appeared in, “Fear and Loathing Las Vegas.” Some of Diaz’s other films include “Very Bad Things,” “Any Given Sunday,” and “Being John Malkovich.”
Diaz has been recognized as one of Hollywood’s hottest actresses. Her name has appeared near the top of many lists including People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People,” and Empire magazine’s “100 Sexiest Stars in 1995.”
In 2000, Diaz co-starred with actress’ Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu in an adaptation of the television show “Charlie’s Angels.” Also in November of that year, Diaz became engaged to actor Jared Leto, but their relationship ended in 2002. The next year Diaz took a different course in her acting career when she signed to become the voice behind the character Princess Fiona in the animated movie “Shrek.”
Diaz’s next movie was “Vanilla Sky,” in which she starred with actor Tom Cruise. This movie earned Diaz several nominations for best supporting actress for awards such as the Saturn Awards, the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards, the Golden Globes, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Diaz won two awards for best supporting actress in “Vanilla Sky” at the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Boston Society of Film Critics Awards.
In 2002, Diaz starred in Martin Scorsee’s “Gangs of New York.” But the biggest success of her career came shortly after this when she signed for a $20 million role co-staring in the movie “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle,” the sequel to the first film.
Throughout Diaz’s career, her performances have landed her many nominations for: “Vanilla Sky,” “Gangs of New York,” “My Best Friends Wedding,” “Shrek,” “Being John Malkovich,” “Charlie’s Angels,” “The Mask,” and “There’s Something About Mary.”
Diaz’s career is far from over. She has not only earned her way to becoming one of Hollywood’s new super stars, but she has also won the heart of pop musician Justin Timberlake. Diaz is currently beginning production on two new upcoming movies, “In Her Shoes,” which is currently being filmed in Philadelphia, and “Fun With Dick and Jane.