Cameron Diaz is back in action – and out of retirement – in Netflix’s first images of her new action comedy with Jamie Foxx.
Diaz, 51, and Foxx, 56, took the stage at the streaming service’s upfronts on Wednesday, May 15, in New York City to reveal details about their upcoming film.
“A lot of people don’t know this, but after Cameron and I did Any Given Sunday and Annie together, we became friends in real life — and I’ve been begging her to come play with me again, Foxx told the crowd. “We all know there’s just something about her.”
Diaz, for her part, replied, “I couldn’t have asked for a better partner, on-screen and off.”
Directed by Seth Gordon, Back in Action follows Emily (Diaz) and Matt (Foxx), a couple who find themselves dragged back into the world of espionage when their cover is blown years after giving up their lives as CIA spies. The film hits Netflix on November 15 and marks Diaz’s first foray back into acting since announcing her retirement from the craft in 2018. Kyle Chandler, Andrew Scott, Jamie Demetriou and Glenn Close also star.
In Netflix’s first look, Diaz and Foxx are dressed to impress as they get down to business, both sporting formal wear while they run from a mysterious enemy and conspire about their next moves. In separate snaps, the duo can be seen investigating alongside Close and Demetriou, while a fourth shot shows them located in a snowy field seemingly planning to escape.’
Foxx and Diaz first teamed up for the 1999 film Any Given Sunday and reunited for the remake of Annie in 2014 as Will Stacks and Ms. Hannigan, respectively. Netflix announced that Diaz would be joining Foxx for Back in Action in 2022 and production kicked off later that year.
Trouble hit the set, however, when Foxx’s daughter Corinne revealed in April 2023 that he had suffered an unspecified medical incident. Nearly three months later, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that the actor was still recovering.
“Jamie is doing so much better and he’s starting to feel like himself again. He’s not 100 percent and is still taking things easy, but he’s definitely on the road to recovery,” the insider explained, noting that Foxx had a “huge support system around him and his friends and family are making sure that he doesn’t take on too much.”
By August of that year, Foxx shared that he was officially on the mend. He returned to filming in January, where he was spotted on Back in Action’s set in Atlanta Georgia. In March, Foxx revealed that he would be disclosing details of the health scare during his stand-up special, which has not yet been given a release date.
“I’m so thankful and I get emotional because it’s beyond the scope,” Foxx said while accepting the African American Film Critics Association’s Producers Award for his company Foxxhole Productions. “I had some people in my life that really made sure I was here because it was dire straits.”
Back in Action hits Netflix on November 15.