Cameron Diaz is opening up about the dramatic changes she witnessed in Hollywood after her 11-year acting hiatus. The actress, who recently made her return in Netflix’s Back in Action, shared her thoughts on the industry’s post-#MeToo transformation during an appearance on the streamer’s SkipIntro podcast.
“The industry is so different,” Diaz said, reflecting on the contrast between past and present work environments. “I definitely have to say that #MeToo changed everything. It’s palpable. You walk onto the set, and it is different.”
She recalled how inappropriate behavior on set was once something women had to endure, often brushing it off or setting their own boundaries. “It wasn’t just like the higher-ups [back then]. There was always just that one guy, you know, on set, that you were like, ‘God, here he comes again,’” Diaz explained. “There were always layers and layers of inappropriateness that you just kind of had to put up with.”
Advertisement Suggested: Cameron Diaz Reflects on Pre-MeToo Hollywood: “There Was Always That One Guy”
Now, however, she says the atmosphere has shifted significantly. “It has changed. It’s not the same,” she noted. One major difference? Netflix’s workplace safety measures, including an HR-led discussion before filming and an anonymous hotline to report misconduct. “I have never in my entire career had HR come in prior to a movie and talk about what is appropriate and what is inappropriate behavior,” Diaz said. “And there’s a hotline, which Netflix has, to call anonymously to report any issues that you might be feeling. Wow, that is amazing. The level of security, of safety you feel as a woman now on set is… I never felt that before this film.”
Diaz on Her Acting Hiatus and Possible Future Projects
Diaz initially stepped away from Hollywood after 2014’s Annie, choosing to focus on personal fulfillment. Speaking at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit last year, she stood by her decision to retire.
“For me, it was just something I had to do,” she explained. “It felt like something I had to do to reclaim my own life. And I just really didn’t care about anything else.”
Despite her return, Diaz remains undecided about whether she will continue acting or take another long break. In a recent interview with Empire magazine, she shared that she’s keeping her options open.
Suggeted: Bethenny Frankel Weighs In on Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni’s Legal Battle: “It’s a Botch Job”
“I don’t know how I view it. It’s hard to say,” she said. “If I say it, then it becomes this thing. I reserve the right to say no to doing a movie ever again, and I reserve the right to say yes if I decide to. I’m not defining anything. I’m just open to whatever makes sense for me and my family at any given moment.”
For now, fans can catch Diaz in Back in Action, currently streaming on Netflix.
Source: Variety