Cameron Diaz Tells Gwyneth Paltrow Why She Retired from Acting

In a new episode of Gwyneth Paltrow's 'In Goop Health: The Sessions,' Cameron Diaz reveals why she retired from acting and how it affected her mental health.

August 6, 2020

Cameron Diaz has revealed why she decided to retire from Hollywood, ostensibly at the peak of her career.

In the newest episode of Gwyneth Paltrow’s In Goop Health: The Sessions, Diaz explained that her commitment to her career meant that she never made “any space for my personal life.”

“I just decided that I wanted different things out of my life,” Diaz said around the 29:00 minute mark, per E! “I had gone so hard for so long, working, making films and it's such a grind," she said. "When you're making a movie—it's a perfect excuse—they own you. You're there for 12 hours a day for months on end and you have no time for anything else.”

She added that being in the spotlight was exhausting, which Paltrow said she could “understand.”

“It's so intense to work at that level and be that public and put yourself out there,” Diaz continued. “There's a lot of energy coming at you at all times when you're really visible as an actor and doing press and putting yourself out there.” She said she is especially “sensitive” to “energies” of other people.

Diaz said that when she turned 40, she wanted to become “self-sufficient” again, particularly since she felt like she was coddled as an actress. When Paltrow asked what it was like to put her acting career behind her, Diaz said, “Like peace. A peace in my soul because I was finally taking care of myself.”

Diaz thanked husband Benji Madden for helping her through her “painful” journey of self-discovery. “I broke that mirror about a thousand times when he put it up to me. I was like, ‘I hate you... don't show me that,' and he was like, ‘Look, bitch. Look’,” she laughed. “Thank God for him.”

Elsewhere, Diaz discussed her wine business, how her mental health has changed over time, and the effect her career had on her relationships.

Diaz married the Good Charlotte singer in 2015 and the couple welcomed their first child together, Raddix Madden earlier this year. She has authored two books, The Body Book and The Longevity Book.

During her 20-year career, which ran from 1994 to 2014, the 47-year-old actress was nominated for four Golden Globes. She’s best known for The Mask (1994), There’s Something About Mary (1998), and Vanilla Sky (2001).