Missing Cameron Diaz on her 50th Birthday
Tuesday, August 30, 2022 at 12:00PM by Nathaniel R
image from Cameron's instagram. We added the birthday wish ;)
Do you remember the first time you saw Cameron Diaz onscreen? Her debut The Mask (1994) was a smash hit but believe it or not I missed that one in theaters despite being a weekly moviegoer by then. I first saw her in My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) a quickly-beloved movie though I can't say she was my focal point. It was only years later when I realized how deftly she was navigating a tricky part...
In the basic rom-com template the "obstacle" significant other, the one in the way of our lead's happy ending, falls somewhere on the spectrum between a non-exciting dullard or an outright villain who is actively wrong for the protagonist's object of affection. My Best Friend's Wedding was a big mainstream hit but it somehow managed to be just that without compromise; it's actually a subversive twist on the genre, without pulling its punches or winking to the camera about how it's playing with the formula.
Cameron Diaz surprises in "My Best Friend's Wedding," refusing to be the 'Obstacle in Human Form'
We're pretty far into the narrative before we realize that in a way we're rooting against the protagonist Jules (Julia Roberts). Maybe she doesn't deserve the happy ending she'd originally imagined for herself? She'll have to take a look in the mirror and adjust her dreams. The object of her affection (Dermot Mulroney) and that obstacle in human shape (Cameron Diaz as Kimmy) are actually just fine... even justright for each other.
Though I pride myself on having an eagle eye for rising stars and their talent/worth, I confess I was extremely late to the Diaz train, only coming around in the Aughts with that 180º whiplash between her giddy performative joy in Charlie's Angels and her mentally unstable scorned woman in Vanilla Sky.
What was your experience with Cameron Diaz? Are you excited that she's actually going back to work. Despite retiring after that three film year in 2014 (Annie, The Other Woman, Sex Tape), she's finally returning to the movies with the aptly title Back in Action opposite Jamie Foxx which will presumably start shooting later this year.
P.S. Over on Instagram (plz follow) trying out a new quick series "5 x 5" highlighting five key roles in an actors career, so we're kicking it off with Cameron Diaz.
Reader Comments (9)
I have missed her and glad she's easing herself back in the game with a popcorn flick,I hope somebody like Tarantino or PT Anderson gifts her a fabulous supporting or lead role.
Top 5 Cameron
Being John Malkovich should have won the Oscar
My Best Friends Wedding for the singing scene alone,she makes it work and outshines Julia.
Vanilla Sky her car monolgue should have netted her an Oscar nom
The Mask a star is born first film I saw her in with my little sis in cinemas
The Counsellor campy fun and she looks amazing in those vampy costumes.
Not once but TWICE she got both SAG and Golden Globe noms (Being John Malkovich, Vanilla Sky) only to be snubbed by Oscar. Should've been nominated for both, arguably won for Malkovich. She is just so god damn good in the movie.. every line reading is A+ ("It's like he has a vagina. It's sort of vaginal, like he has a penis AND a vagina.")
She was also in the mix to varying degrees for Something About Mary and Gangs of New York. Point is, she should've been recognized for *something*.
I'm not the biggest fan but I've watched Bad Teacher many times in large part (although some of the folks on the edges of it are aces, especially Phyllis Smith) due to her nailing that specific tone perfectly. And she's just great in In Her Shoes, the best thing about that under-rated film.
Wasn't There's Something About Mary in 1997 as well? I remember thinking at the time that someone who is that gorgeous AND that beautiful would be in demand forever.
I've still never seen either BJM or Vanilla Sky, so my fave 5 Cam Diaz movies/performances are:
1. The Holiday
2. In Her Shoes
3. My Best Friend's Wedding
4. Charlie's Angels
5. There's Something About Mary
Man, she's been in some real stinkers though. She's so likeable as a movie star presence.
I really love Cameron. Her ritirement a few years ago made me really sad. While I was happy for her, I was bummed we wouldn't get to see her on screen. I'm so happy that she's returning.
She's an interesting actress with a bit of an odd filmography. She's absolutely wonderful, but doesn't have a ton of films that were overwhelming commercial/critical hits. She also never took a hard indie turn like a lot of her contemporaries. I think this has hurt her a bit, but I think she's brilliant and truly gets screen acting.
My top 5 Cameron Diaz performances:
There's Something About Mary
Being John Malkovich
In Her Shoes
Vanilla Sky
Charlie's Angels
Love, love, love her...
top 5 for me are...
1. Being John Malkovich
2. Vanilla Sky
3. Very Bad Things
4. There's Something About Mary
5. My Best Friend's Wedding
Missing her terribly... I'd add Charlie's Angels as the perfect comedy/action equilibrium, all three actresses are good in both films, but Diaz steals every single scene, she's in, effortlessly (and has also a 3-way great comic chemistry with so much different comedians as Matt Le Blanc and John Cleese...)
I missed The Mask too because it looked like a silly movie for kids, but I loved Cameron from the start and that doesn't happen with me.
The new movie looks bad but hopefully it will lead to other things.
I saw Cameron first in The Mask and thought she was just a pretty face. Then I saw her in ensemble films like The Last Supper and She's The One. A great way to deflect attention if she failed. But then, she showed up in My Best Friend's Wedding, and that script maximized her comedic (and dance) skills and gave her an interesting character--the romantic rival you want to be happy even though Julia Roberts is supposed to get the guy in a romcom.
In a more just world, she would have several Oscar noms, There's Something About Mary, Being John Malkovich, and Vanilla Sky. (Any Given Sunday came out the same year as Malkovich)