Cameron Diaz’s Net Worth: From Model to Movie Star, Here’s How She Built Her Wealth

Cameron Diaz is an American model and award-nominated actress whose movies have grossed billions of dollars in the U.S. In fact, she is the fifth highest-grossing actress at the domestic box office. Although she has taken a step back from the spotlight to spend time with her child in recent years, she continues to enjoy the fruits of her labor and massive net worth. 

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take a deep dive into Cameron Diaz’s net worth, background story, her journey from model to actress, her successful career, and how she became a multi-MULTI millionaire. 

Plus, find out how to build a million dollar brand in about a year with our FREE training.

Who is Cameron Diaz?

Cameron Michelle Diaz is an American model and actress born in San Diego, California, on August 30, 1972. She was the second daughter born to parents Billie, an import/export agent, and Emilio, a foreman of a California oil company. Cameron grew up in Long Beach, attending Long Beach Polytechnic High School with another soon-to-be-famous classmate, Snoop Dogg. 

Although she had attentive, loving parents, Cameron’s family lived a frugal lifestyle, collecting soda cans to turn in to make extra money because even $20 meant something to them. When she was 16, Cameron signed a modeling contract with Elite Model Management, which quickly led to contracts with Levi’s and Calvin Klein.

By the age of 17, she was on the cover of the July 1990 issue of Seventeen magazine. Cameron also spent a few months in 1991 modeling in Australia, where she shot a commercial for Coca-Cola.

Without any previous acting experience, Cameron decided to audition for The Mask in the female role opposite Jim Carrey. She took her first acting class after securing the role. The movie was a big hit and among the top ten highest-grossing films of 1994, launching Cameron as an actress and sex symbol. 

From there, she became a highly sought-after actress and was on the fast track to jaw-dropping wealth.

What is Cameron Diaz's net worth?

So what is the impressive net worth of Cameron Diaz? According to various sources, Cameron Diaz’s net worth is an estimated $140 million.

How did Cameron Diaz build her wealth?

Once Cameron established herself as a serious actor, she had her pick of lucrative movie roles, contributing significantly to her net worth. However, she is also an entrepreneur, investor, and author. 

This savvy business person set herself up for success–so much so that she could step away from acting, semi-retiring in 2018 to focus on her family. 

Let’s take a closer look at how Cameron has established multiple revenue streams to grow and maintain her wealth, even during semi-retirement:

1. She earned millions as an actress

At Cameron's career peak in 2013, she was the highest-paid actress in Hollywood, making as much as $20 million per film.

Her list of film credits is extensive and too long to list here, but the following roles are some of the highlights of her career, along with several of the reported big paychecks she received:

• The Mask (1994) - $500,000 
• My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
• There’s Something About Mary (1998) - $2 million
• Being John Malkovich (1999) 
• Charlie’s Angels (2000) - $12 million
• Voice of Princess Fiona in the Shrek franchise (2001, 2004, 2007, 2010) - $10 million 
• Vanilla Sky (2001)
• Gangs of New York (2002) - $17.5 million
• Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003) - $20 million
• The Holiday (2006)
• My Sister’s Keeper (2009)
• Bad Teacher (2011) - $40 million 
• Sex Tape (2014)
• Annie (2014)

Cameron was the third actress in history to hit a paycheck of $20 million for a single film. Although she has not been in a movie since her semi-retirement in 2018, she is currently in production for a new film. Back In Action, a Netflix Original action-comedy starring Cameron and Jamie Foxx, is set to be released in late-2023 or early-2024. 

2. She owns multiple properties across the U.S.

Cameron has a packed real estate portfolio she’s accumulated over the years, including:

• $1.34 million-dollar contemporary cottage above the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles she bought in 2001
• $9.5 million-dollar Beverly Hills compound she bought from Candice Bergen in 2010
• $9.5 million-dollar, three-bedroom condo in lower Manhattan’s Chelsea District she purchased in 2013
• $14.7 million-dollar, seven-bedroom farmhouse-mansion in another part of Beverly Hills Cameron and her husband purchased in 2020
• $12.67 million-dollar, 11,000-square-foot, three-story villa on 1.75 acres with ocean views in Montecito she and her husband purchased in 2022

Clearly, Cameron and her family have no shortage of places to live, and she has a robust property portfolio to leverage if she ever needs it. 

3. She has a luxurious car collection

With a net worth of $140 million, Cameron is free to buy any car she wants. Here’s a list of the rides in her impressive car collection:

• Aston Martin Vanquish
• Tesla Model S 
• Porsche 911 Carrera
• Toyota Prius
• Maserati Quattroporte
• BMW
• Bugatti Veyron

4. She launched a clean wine brand

Cameron and her friend Katherine Power launched Avaline, a clean wine brand made with organic grapes, in July 2020. She was involved in every step of the process, from visiting vineyards and choosing grapes to creating the label. Never being one to endorse products, this was a project that Cameron could get behind 100%.

“I’m not an endorser. You can kind of look at my brand over the last 25 years…and there’s no way you can say that I’ve, you know, gotten behind another brand. I always promote my products, which are my movies, you know, so I’m not really an endorser,” said Cameron. “It felt right for me to be putting my name and energy behind a product (Avaline) that I was co-founding with Katherine…it was ours, we built it from the ground up.” 

5. She published two books

Once Cameron semi-retired, she began her journey as a published author. Her books include:

• The Body Book: The Law of Hunger, the Science of Strength, and Other Ways to Love Your Amazing Body (2013)
• The Longevity Book: The Science of Aging, the Biology of Strength, and the Privilege of Time (2016) cowritten with Sandra Bark

Her first book was a number-one New York Times bestseller.

6. She became an investor

As someone who has always had a passion for nutrition, health, and wellness, Cameron became an investor in health and biotech startups. She has contributed investments to the following companies:

• Seed Health - a company that uses bacteria to heal the microbiome and treat diseases
• Modern Acupuncture - a group that aims to provide affordable acupuncture across the U.S. 

FAQ

What is Cameron Diaz's net worth?

Cameron Diaz’s net worth is an estimated $140 million. 

How did Cameron Diaz build her wealth?

Cameron built her fortune to become a multi-millionaire through a lucrative acting career. She is the fifth highest-earning actress in the U.S. and was the third actress in history to hit a paycheck of $20 million for a single film for her role in 2013’s Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. 

How did Cameron Diaz get her start in acting?

Cameron was a model from age 16 until she got into acting at age 21 when she auditioned for the role opposite Jim Carrey in The Mask. Although she had no previous acting experience, she landed the part.  

How successful have Cameron Diaz's films been?

Cameron Diaz’s films have grossed over $3 billion in the U.S. Fourteen of her movies grossed more than $100 million. 

What awards has Cameron Diaz won for her acting?

Cameron Diaz has been nominated for many awards since she entered the Hollywood scene in 1994. Here are some of her notable wins:

• Best Female Performance - There’s Something About Mary - 1999 MTV Movie Awards
• Best Actress - There’s Something About Mary - 1998 New York Film Critics Circle Awards
• Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film - Any Given Sunday - 2000’s American Latino Media Awards (ALMA)
• Best Supporting Actress - Vanilla Sky - 2002 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
• Favorite Leading Lady - The Holiday - 2007 People’s Choice Awards

What businesses has Cameron Diaz invested in?

Cameron’s business investments include health startups Seed Health and Modern Acupuncture. She also launched her organic, clean wine brand, Avaline, with friend and co-founder Katherine Power in 2020. 

What real estate investments has Cameron Diaz made?

Cameron's real estate investments have been personal properties that she has lived in alone or with her husband, Benji Madden. Her real estate portfolio includes a Los Angeles contemporary cottage, a Beverly Hills compound, a three-bedroom condo in lower Manhattan, a seven-bedroom farmhouse in Beverly Hills, and a three-story villa in Montecito. 

Takeaway

Cameron Diaz was not born into a wealthy family. Instead, she used her ambition and skills and went after her goals. She took risks, like auditioning to star opposite Jim Carrey when she hadn’t taken a single acting class before. 

That took some courage. 

Cameron put herself out there, took advantage of the opportunities around her, and now she has built an incredible net worth with multiple income streams that will likely benefit her and her family for generations. 

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