Biography

A tall, strikingly attractive blue-eyed bottle blonde, Cameron Diaz was born in 1972 in San Diego. She is the daughter of Billie (Anglo-German) and Emilio Diaz (Cuban-American). Self described as "adventurous, independent and a tough kid," Cameron left home at 16 and for the next 5 years lived in such varied locales as Japan, Australia, Mexico, Morocco, and Paris. Returning to California at the age of 21, she was working as a model when her agency secured her an audition for the female lead in The Mask (1994). Despite having no previous acting experience, she made a strong impression and was cast as the sultry lounge singer, "Tina Carlyle". The film was one of 1994's biggest hits and launched her into stardom virtually overnight. However, she preferred to feel her way effectively into the industry and stayed away from large studio films for the next three years. She honed her acting skills in such character-driven independent films as The Last Supper (1995); Feeling Minnesota (1996); and Head Above Water (1996). She stepped back into the mainstream in 1997 with My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) and A Life Less Ordinary (1997). The following year, her status as a super star was firmly cemented when she played the title role in the box office smash There's Something About Mary (1998). Cameron Diaz is now one of filmdom's hottest properties and most sought-after actresses.