Cameron Diaz : Biography
Cameron Michelle Díaz was born August 30, 1972 and raised in San Diego, California, the daughter of Emilio Díaz, a Cuban-American father who worked as a foreman for an oil company, and mother Billie, whose ancestry included English, German and Native American. She attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School.
At age 16 she landed a contract with the prestigious Elle modelling agency. After graduating from High School she went to work in Japan, there meeting video director Carlo de la Torre. On her return to America she moved in with him. For the next few years her modelling took her around the world, working for contracts with major companies.
Cameron Diaz: Career
At the age of 21 she auditioned for a part in the Jim Carrey movie The Mask. To her own surprise, and with no previous acting experience, she was cast as the female lead. Immediately on getting the part she signed up for acting lessons.
Over the next three years she honed her acting skills in low budget, independent films such as The Last Supper (1995), Feeling Minnesota (1996), and She's The One (1996).
She returned to mainstream as "perfect" fiancée in the romantic comedy in My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) with Julia Roberts. Her lead role in the crude comedy There's Something About Mary (1998) brought her genuine star status.
Díaz then returned to independent film with the quirky Being John Malkovich (1999) and Oliver Stone took risks when he gave her a role in Any Given Sunday (1999). Both films enjoyed critical and commercial success and critics heralded Díaz's performances.
Cameron Diaz: Movies
Shrek 3 (2007), The Mask (2005), In Her Shoes (2005), Shrek 2 (2004), Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003), Gangs of New York (2002), The Sweetest Thing (2002), Vanilla Sky (2001), Shrek (2001), The Invisible Circus (2001), Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her (2001), Charlie's Angels (2000), Any Given Sunday (1999), Being John Malkovich (1999), Very Bad Things (1998), There's Something About Mary (1998), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), A Life Less Ordinary (1997), My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), Keys to Tulsa (1997), Head Above Water (1996), Feeling Minnesota (1996), She's The One (1996), The Last Supper (1996), The Mask (1994)