15 Throwback Photos Of Cameron Diaz Too Good To Ignore

“I just went, ‘I can’t really say who I am to myself.’ Which is a hard thing to face up to. I felt the need to make myself whole.” That was a big declaration made by Diaz with Vogue. It explained her absence from the Hollywood scene as she takes time off to spend time with family, finding herself.

On-screen, she forged quite the career and in the following list, we’ll pay homage to some of her top moments from back in the day. We’ll feature just about everything from photos of Diaz from her days in the film, The Mask, to casual candids she took before her fame.

Enjoy the article folks and be sure to share it with a friend. Here are 15 throwback photos of Cameron Diaz too good to ignore.

15 /In The Mask

If you hadn’t heard of Cameron Diaz before she took on the role of Tina in 1994’s The Mask, alongside Jim Carrey, there’s no denying that you knew who she was after watching the iconic film. Her role in the film was certainly memorable, as were her outfits (particularly her revealing red dress).

14/ Goth Vibes

When Cameron Diaz was in High School, she was already under contract with Elite Model Management. When we look back at photos of the actress like the one above, it’s not hard to see why. The young star eventually made her movie debut in 1994, but before the age of 21, modeling was her priority.

13/ A Stunner

We’re going to take a wild guess and assume this was Cameron Diaz’s portfolio photo when she was signed with Elite Model Management. Growing up in Long Beach California, she went to school with some pretty famous people, notably Snoop Dog. At just 16 years old, Diaz took part in some ads for brands like Levis and Calvin Klein.

12 /There’s Something About Mary

After The Mask there was 1998’s There’s Something About Mary, where she starred alongside Ben Stiller and Matt Dillon. While she may have been recognized more so for her looks rather than her acting skills in The Mask, things were different for her role as Mary. Cameron played the titular character in the comedy, and really proved she had legitimate acting chops.

11 /Natural Beauty

Few people might know that although Cameron Diaz was born in San Diego, California, she’s not full American. In fact, her father had some Cuban ancestors, while her mother has some German ancestors. This might explain Diaz’s beautiful features; most notably her blonde hair, pouty lips, and stunning baby blue eyes.

10/ Makeup Gone Wrong

As we previously mentioned, Cameron Diaz has always been known as a natural beauty, which is why we think excessive makeup is not a necessity for the former model. Needless to say, she made a pretty bold decision with her makeup in the photo above (from 1998), one we assume she regrets today.

9 /Rachel Green Vibes

Is it just us, or is Cameron Diaz giving off some major Rachel Green vibes in the photo above? Back in the 90s, the style was a little different, and we think Diaz might have learned a thing or two from the Friends character. Regardless of where she got her outfit inspiration from, she looked stunning, as always.

8 /Cheerleading Days

It might be hard to believe when looking at throwback photos of Cameron Diaz, but the actress has admitted that “[She] was the poster child for being both skinny and unhealthy”. She may have been part of the cheerleading squad, but her unhealthy lifestyle and diet wasn’t something she was proud of.

7/ With Ewan McGregor

Two things really stick out for us when looking at the photo above; one, when was the last time we saw Ewan McGregor with long hair? And two, when was the last time we saw Cameron Diaz with a pixie cut? Needless to say, this is one throwback photo we can’t stop looking at. The two were photographed together at the MTV Movie Awards in 1997.

6/ With Justin Timberlake

The relationship is now likely forgotten by a majority of people, given that both stars have moved on and are now happily married to other people, but Cameron Diaz actually dated Justin Timberlake for 4 years, from 2003-2007. Not only did they date, but during their time together, many speculated the two were engaged, after Diaz was spotted with a ring on her finger.

5/ Tipsy Friends

Most people might assume that Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore became friends after they filmed Charlie’s Angels together, but these two had actually been friends long before co-starring in the film. They actually met back in the 80s, when Barrymore was working as a barista in a Beverly Hills coffee shop and one day ended up taking (model-at-the-time) Cameron Diaz’s order.

4 /Going To The Dark Side

In 2006, Cameron Diaz starred in the 2006 romantic film, The Holiday, alongside Jude Law, Kate Winslet and Jack Black. Although she was blonde in the movie, when the star arrived at the premiere, she shocked fans with her new dark hair. We’re not going to say the new color did not suit her, but it’s clear that Diaz is meant to be a blonde, and we’re glad she dyed it back.

3/ Diaz And Norton

Before Cameron Diaz found her soulmate in Benji Madden, she had quite a few exes (and they weren’t just random guys, either). Over 20 years ago, back in 1999, she was rumored to be dating none other than Edward Norton. The There’s Something About Mary actress and the Fight Club star were spotted looking rather intimate together, but neither of them ever confirmed a relationship.

2 /Cam And Diddy

Yes, you guessed it, P. Diddy is another one of Cameron’s famous exes. We weren’t kidding when we said the guys she dated before Benji Madden were a pretty big deal. The two dated for about 4 years, from 2008 to 2012. The real reason for the breakup was never revealed by either party, but one thing’s for sure, Diddy has not forgotten about his relationship with Diaz.

1/ 1995 Throwback

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, Cameron Diaz has always been a natural beauty. Whether she was showing off her comedic chops, showing off her curves, or looking stunning in modeling shots, she’ll always be remembered as one of America’s sweethearts from the 90s.