Cameron Diaz Found Hollywood 'Overwhelming' & Tells Gwyneth Paltrow She Doesn't Regret Leaving Fame Behind

Jun 20, 2023 by apost team

Cameron Diaz was one of Hollywood's top actresses for years, but she has since stepped away from the spotlight. At the height of her career, Diaz was one of the most sought-after celebrities and starred in major blockbusters such as "There's Something About Mary," "Charlie's Angels," the "Shrek" franchise and "The Holiday" and "Bad Teacher," among a myriad of other titles that have cemented her reputation as a Hollywood A-lister. In fact, The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Diaz's career was so huge that in 2013, she was the highest-paid female actor over the age of 40. 

Naturally, it came as a surprise for many fans that Diaz chose to step back from the spotlight around 2014. Since then, Diaz has opened up in various interviews about why she stepped back from acting, with the major reason being a desire to simplify her life, which had, at the height of her fame, required numerous other people to manage regular daily things.

What's more, the actress got married in 2015 to musician Benji Madden of the band Good Charlotte, and in 2019, the couple welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Raddix Madden. That means Diaz became a mother at the age of 47 and she's since opened up about it in various interviews. 

Though Diaz used to be one of the top A-list actors in the late '90s and '00s, her decision to step back from the limelight has only been a positive one, according to her. She has also reflected on that in various interviews and said that she has found "peace" and feels "whole" again. 

In a nearly hour-long video streamed over YouTube on Goop's channel, fellow A-list actress and Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow, and Diaz, both 50, engaged in a casual conversation that covered a myriad of topics. On the topic of leaving acting, Diaz said:

"I got a peace in my soul, because I finally was taking care of myself. Because I finally was taking care of myself. … I just feel grounded and light."

She then added:

"It's a strange thing to say, I know a lot of people won't understand it, I know you understand it, but it's so intense to work at that level and be that public and put yourself out there."

Furthermore, Diaz discussed that the pressure of carrying multi-million dollar films was "overwhelming" and that actors were coddled. She revealed she wanted to prove that she could be a self-sufficient adult and said:

"I stopped and really looked at my life. When you're making a movie, they own you. You're there for 12 hours a day for months on end, you have no time for anything else. I really needed to know that I could take care of myself, that I knew how to be an adult."

Diaz also opened up to Kevin Hart on his show "Hart To Heart" as reported by the Independent, and said, "For my personal, spiritual self, I was realizing that that one part of me that functioned at a high level wasn’t enough. 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," and added,

"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."  

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About her decision to quit acting, she also explained, "I just really wanted to make my life manageable by me. My routine in a day is literally what I can manage to do by myself. It’s the best feeling, I feel whole."

Diaz last acted in 2014's "Annie" movie, and after leaving behind the acting world, has swapped it for marriage and motherhood. According to Women's Health, Raddix was delivered via surrogate and the couple announced her birth in January 2019. Diaz had previously tried to get pregnant through in vitro fertilization (IVF), acupuncture and supplements to try to have a baby. 

Diaz also opened up to Paltrow about being a mother and said that it's because of her that she went down that path. She stated:

"Being a mother at the age that I am, I don't think I could have been this parent at 25 ... I would not have become a mother if it wasn't for you. You used to talk, I'd be like, 'I'm not having kids'. And you're like: 'You are having kids, you're getting married, you're having children.'"

She also told InStyle in 2019:

"The way I look at it is that I’ve given more than half of my life to the public. I feel it’s OK for me to take time for myself now to reorganize and choose how I want to come (back) into the world."

She also opened up to Jimmy Fallon in 2020 about Raddix when she said that "every single day, there are leaps and bounds, and these things that happen — she’s not the same baby she was yesterday.” The doting mom also added:

“It’s so gratifying to actually get to see that growth and to be a part of it and to help let her be her, and it’s just amazing.”  

Diaz and Madden seem to absolutely love being parents to Raddix. In 2020, amid the pandemic, a source close to the couple spoke with People and revealed just how content the family of three is. They said:

"Despite everything that's going on, Cameron and Benji are having the best year as a family ... They are the perfect team and love being parents."

The source added:

"For years, Cameron wanted to be a mom ... She loves it more than she imagined."

On Mother's Day that same year, Madden sang the praises of his wife in a heartwarming post on Instagram. He wrote:

"It’s special day for us this year, Forever grateful to my wife for making me a Father, and taking such good care of us every day. Best Mom and Wife and Friend. Whether waking up extra early to take care of everyone (3 humans and a dozen animals) or doing all the research and reading to make sure we try our best to be good parents for our daughter, she’s a force of nature and I’m very grateful."

He continued:

"6 years together just get more meaningful and true love each day. What a blessing. For me, I think wise to remind ourselves every day, when we have a rare special person like this in our life, not to be the foolish person who takes it for granted." 

It sounds like Diaz and Madden couldn't be happier and with a household like that, it's no wonder the actress wanted to switch her attention from Hollywood to family. We wish them all the best and can't wait to see more of their happy family!  

What do you think about Cameron Diaz finding peace after leaving the entertainment industry and becoming a mother? Let us know your thoughts, and pass this on to any fans of hers you know.