13 Rare Photos of Cameron Diaz Early in Her Career
Did you know she got her start as a teen model?
There’s no one quite like Cameron Diaz. The iconic actress, who had her big Hollywood break when she landed the lead role opposite Jim Carrey in the hilarious mid-90s comedy The Mask, has had quite the career. The California native, who got her start in modeling as a teen, has starred in some of the most recognizable comedy flicks of our time including There’s Something About Mary, The Sweetest Thing, Charlie’s Angels, and Shrek (yes, that's Cameron's voice as Fiona). She's also excelled while playing more dramatic roles, too, such as in Being John Malkovich and Gangs of New York. And although she took a break from acting for the past decade, she's set to return to the big screen next year opposite Jamie Foxx in the Netflix comedy, Back in Action, and, TBH, we can't wait to see it.
From her early red carpet appearances to the beginnings of her decades-spanning friendships with her co-stars, we're taking a look at some of our favorite rare photos of Diaz in her early career.
Snapped in New York City
Here, Diaz is posing for a photo in New York City in early-1994. However, Diaz was no stranger to the lens—she grew up in Long Beach, CA, and signed a modeling contract with Elite Model Management while in high school. She soon modeled in campaigns for brands such as Levi’s and Calvin Klein and landed a Seventeen magazine cover when she was still 17.
With Jim Carrey at Cannes
The actress made her major film debut in 1994 when she snagged one of the lead roles in the Jim Carrey-lead film, The Mask. The two can be seen here at the Cannes Film Festival, promoting the film which would be releasing in the coming months.
The Mask Los Angeles Premiere
A few short months later, Diaz was snapped on the red carpet for the first of her many Hollywood premieres, wearing a gorgeous magenta gown paired with translucent heels. The movie was nominated for one Oscar and is still considered a cult classic today.
Chatting on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
That same year, Diaz appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to discuss her recent projects. The guest she's sitting next to is Richard Lewis, an actor and stand-up comedian known for Curb Your Enthusiasm and Anything But Love.
1995 Toyota Grand Prix Celebrity Race
In 1995, the young actress put on her racing gear and hopped into one of the cars at the Toyota Grand Prix. She was a part of the Celebrity Car Race, which included other Hollywood icons like Matt LeBlanc from Friends and Mark-Paul Gosselaar from Saved by the Bell. The big celebrity winner that year was Alfonso Ribeiro from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
In Costume Filming She’s the One
In October of that same year, she filmed She’s the One, a romantic comedy that Edward Burns wrote, directed, and starred in as her character Heather's ex-fiancé.
Posing Expertly for the Camera
In 1996, she returned to her modeling roots and posed for photographer Mikel Roberts wearing a strapless bathing suit and a colorful swim cap. She had a huge year in 1996 along with She's The One, also starring in Feeling Minnesota alongside Keanu Reeves and Head Above Water with Harvey Keitel.
My Best Friend’s Wedding Premiere Party
One year later, Diaz stopped by the premiere party for her classic romantic comedy My Best Friend’s Wedding, where she played the fiancé of star Julia Roberts' love interest. The event was held at The Plaza Hotel and Diaz was glowing even in a simple gown.
There’s Something About Mary Los Angeles Premiere
1998 was a busy year for Diaz. She appeared in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and acted in Very Bad Things just to start. It was also the year she released one of her biggest movies, the romantic comedy There’s Something About Mary, which earned her a nomination for a Golden Globe award. Here, she can be seen at the movie’s red carpet premiere with her co-star (and then-boyfriend), Matt Dillon.
Being John Malkovich New York City Premiere
Diaz donned dark tresses at the NYC premiere of Being John Malkovich. The twenty-something-year-old star plays the main character’s wife, Lotte Schwartz, in the creative film that was helmed by Her director Spike Jonze.
New York Screening of Charlie’s Angels
Remember how big the 2000 remake of Charlie’s Angels was when it came out? Here, Diaz poses with her two co-stars, Lucy Liu and Drew Barrymore, before the movie’s NYC screening. The three reunited over 20 years later on an episode of Drew Barrymore’s talk show. “We’ve been through everything together,” Barrymore said during the 2022 sit-down interview.
Rocking the Vanilla Sky Premiere
In 2001, Diaz attended Vanilla Sky’s red carpet premiere wearing an eye-catching patterned hat, chandelier earrings, and a black denim jacket. She starred in the early-2000s thriller flick, joining other big names, including Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, and Kurt Russell.
The Sweetest Thing New York City Premiere
Here, Diaz poses with co-stars Christina Applegate and Selma Blair during the NYC premiere of their film, The Sweetest Thing. It's a solid comedy flick that was nominated for multiple Teen Choice Awards that year.
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