Cameron Diaz has explained her reasons for retiring from acting in 2018, speaking to Gwyneth Paltrow in a rare interview.
From There's Something About Mary to Charlie's Angels to The Mask, the turn of the century saw Diaz's name attached to a string of Hollywood hits.
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However, the star hung up her acting boots a couple of years back and decided to quit the business that made her famous.
Despite having stayed out of the limelight for the most part since then, 47-year-old Diaz spoke with Paltrow for her latest episode of Goop Health: The Sessions.
Elaborating on the major changes in her life in recent years, she said: "I just decided that I wanted different things out of my life. I had gone so hard for so long, working, making films and it's such a grind."
Diaz went on to say that, as a result, she 'didn't make any space' for her personal life, which led to the decision to stop making movies and instead focus on her life and her relationships with family and friends.
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She also discussed meeting with her now-husband Benji Madden, of the rock band Good Charlotte, and how they got married sooner after dating. Together they announced the birth of their daughter Raddix at the start of 2020.
When Paltrow asked what it felt like leaving the Hollywood life behind her, Diaz explained: "A peace in my soul because I finally was taking care of myself...
"It's so intense to work at that level and be that public and put yourself out there. 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.
"I'm sensitive to energy, some energies and not others, but I do get the overwhelming energy of the attention that's being put toward me."
The mum-of-one added: "I really looked at my life and I saw that when you're making a movie, it's a perfect excuse, they own you, you're there 12 hours a day for months on end. You have no time for anything else.
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"I realised I'd handed off parts of my life to all these other people... and I had basically to take it back and take responsibility for my own life."
Now, Diaz is putting her focus into taking care of herself, her family and being a new mum, something that she said is proving busy work.
She also touched upon the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, advising fans: "The best thing to do is to stay in at the moment, just take care."
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: TV and Film, Celebrity, Cameron Diaz