It took an Oscar-winning actor to convince Cameron Diaz to come out of retirement.

The 49-year-old will emerge from retirement to appear with Jamie Foxx in the hilarious new Netflix comedy Back in Action.

Foxx, it seems, was the genius behind persuading her to accept the role.

A Hollywood source tells PEOPLE that “When this project came along and she was pursued by Jamie Foxx, who she has known and worked with for years, she decided to go for it.”

Jamie teased fans with the return announcement by posting an audio clip on Twitter. Jamie co-starred with Cam in the 2014 adaptation of Annie, in which she portrayed Miss Hannigan, the last movie she did before walking away from the limelight.

Foxx didn’t work alone in persuading Diaz to change her mind; he also solicited the support of another famous person, who he later revealed online.

Diaz posted an audio recording of her speaking with Foxx on her Instagram story after announcing that her eight-year break was ended. Foxx later revealed the whole star-studded conversation on Twitter.

“I feel excited but I don’t know how to do this, you know?” Cameron says to Jamie in the phone conversation. The Ray Charles actor enlisted the assistance of NFL great Tom Brady, who previously took a brief hiatus from football before deciding to return to it, in an effort to persuade her to join him on-screen.

During their three-way conversation, Tom says to Cameron, “I was talking to Jamie and he said you need a few tips on how to un-retire. I’m relatively successful at un-retiring.”

In an interview from last year, Diaz said that she had taken a break from the limelight to concentrate on “parts of my life that I wasn’t touching.”

“I just really wanted to make my life manageable by me,” she later explained. The star also revealed to Gwyneth Paltrow, who also stepped away from acting to focus on her Goop brand, that she’d grown tired of being “infantilised” in the industry and how the decision brought “a peace in my soul”.

And she succeeded in doing so, co-authoring the book The Longevity Book on healthy living, launching the wine label Avaline, and having her daughter Raddix via surrogacy in 2019. Her major focus has been being a mother ever since. In a recent Sirius XM interview, she said, “To have to be on a movie set that takes 14 hours, 16 hours, of my time away from her —I just couldn’t.”

The Shrek star married Good Charlotte musician Benji Madden in 2015 and in 2019 the couple welcomed their first child, Raddix.

“I wouldn’t have been the mom that I am now had I chosen to do that at any other time in my life,” the actress stated in an interview. “I feel for so many mothers who can’t, that have to go to work, whatever they’re doing. I feel so much for them and for their children and for all of that, but it does really take a village.”

CREDIT: ALAMAY

She spoke to comedian Kevin Hart about her decision and “management of me as a human being” on his talk program Hart to Heart the previous year.

“When you do something at a really high level for a long period of time, when you’re the person that’s sort of delivering on this one thing, everything around, all parts of you that isn’t that, has to sort of be handed off to other people,” she explained. “But for my personal, spiritual self, I was realising that one part of me that functioned at a high level wasn’t enough.”

Just don’t anticipate seeing her return in an acting capacity. The film source adds that Back in Action, which has no definite release date, was the perfect movie with the right costar at the right moment because “She doesn’t want acting to overtake her life now like it did before. All the parts fit into place.”

A real star

Cameron Diaz rose to prominence in the 1990s and early 2000s with roles in films such as “The Mask,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” and “There’s Something About Mary.”

She has appeared in a wide range of genres, including comedies, dramas, and action films.

Born on August 30, 1972 in San Diego, California, Diaz began her career as a model before transitioning to acting. She made her film debut in 1994 with the comedy “The Mask,” opposite Jim Carrey, and quickly became a box office star.

She followed this success with a string of hit films, including “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” “There’s Something About Mary,” “Charlie’s Angels,” and “Shrek,” among others.

Diaz was widely praised for her performances, and was nominated for several awards, including a Golden Globe for her role in “Being John Malkovich” and a Screen Actors Guild Award for “My Sister’s Keeper.”

She also received critical acclaim for her dramatic performances in films such as “Vanilla Sky” and “Gangs of New York.”

Diaz later took a step back from acting and focused on other ventures, including writing and producing. She published a health and wellness book, “The Body Book,” in 2013, and followed it up with “The Longevity Book” in 2016. She also launched a production company, James, with her husband, Benji Madden.

In 2018, Diaz said that she had retired from acting, explaining that she was content with her decision and wanted to focus on other aspects of her life. Since then, she has continued to make occasional public appearances, but has largely remained out of the spotlight.

Some of her notable achievements in the film industry may include:

Receiving critical acclaim for her dramatic performances in films such as “Being John Malkovich” and “Gangs of New York.”

Being nominated for several awards, including a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Collaborating with top directors and actors, including Martin Scorsese, Tom Cruise, and Ben Stiller.

Appearing in a wide range of genres, including comedies, dramas, and action films.

Publishing a health and wellness book, “The Body Book,” and following it up with “The Longevity Book.”

Launching a production company, James, with her husband, Benji Madden.

Retiring from acting on her own terms, and remaining a beloved figure in the film industry.