During her career, Cameron Diaz has starred in a wide array of movies, in which she’s also played a varied assortment of characters. The slick Tina Carlyle of The Mask, the free-spirited Mary Jensen from There’s Something About Mary and the shady Jenny Everdeane from Gangs of New York are just a few of her on-screen credits. Of all the roles Diaz has played, though, there’s one character she seems to believe is the most unlikable. And, lucky for her fans, the film that includes that character is now available on Netflix.
One Of Cameron Diaz’s Wild Comedy Films Is Streaming In Time For The Holidays
December is definitely a perfect time to watch holiday movies, many of which can be streamed. While the Diaz-fronted title that recently hit the streamer does have some Christmas elements, it’s probably more suitable for those looking for raunchy gags. If you haven’t figured it out already, the movie in question is 2011’s Bad Teacher. The Sony Pictures-produced comedy became available for Netflix subscription holders beginning on December 1.
Helmed by Jake Kasdan, this school-set comedy centers on degenerate middle school teacher Elizabeth Halsey (Cameron Diaz), who schemes to win the affections of a substitute (Justin Timberlake). The cast also includes comedic stars like Jason Segel, John Michael Higgins and Molly Shannon. While the film received negative reviews upon its release years ago, it ultimately proved to be a box office success. The Diaz-led flick ultimately grossed around $216 million worldwide against a reported budget of $20 million.
Bad Teacher – which has great BTS facts – proved to be so successful that it even inspired a CBS TV show that bore its title. Ultimately, the show would only run for a single season of 13 episodes in 2014. Still, the OG movie still holds a place in moviegoers’ hearts. All the while, what I find funny is just how brutally honest the Charlie’s Angels legend was when talking about Elizabeth.
Cameron Diaz Shared Some Brutally Honest Thoughts About Elizabeth Halsey
Historically, Diaz hasn’t been one to mince words, especially when it comes to her work in Hollywood. In terms of the character she played in her teacher comedy from the early 2010s, Diaz shared some choice words about her during a press conference held years ago. While the fan-favorite actress said (via Far Out Magazine) that Elizabeth was a particularly “horrible” character, she also explained why she appreciated the part:
There was absolutely not one ounce of energy spent on making anything about this character likeable. It was genius. It was what I loved. I read 30 pages into the script and thought, ‘There’s no way I can play this character. How can I ever redeem her? There’s no redemption. This is a horrible person’. And ten pages later, I was like, ‘I think I like her’. By the end, I was like, ‘This is amazing because I don’t have to apologize.’
I can definitely understand how it would feel somewhat freeing to play someone who has no true moral compass. And, to her credit, Diaz plays Elizabeth to despicable perfection. Audiences may have more opportunities to see her play such a character, too, given Diaz is now out of her retirement from acting and is open to appearing in more movies, besides the ones she’s already lined up.
Following her feature film return in this year’s Back in Action, Cameron Diaz is starring in another Netflix film called Bad Day, in which she’s sporting a bucket hat and jorts. She’s also set to reprise her role as Princess Fiona in the much-anticipated Shrek 5. I’m not sure any character Diaz plays moving forward will match the wildness of Elizabeth, but I’d love to see her find another. For now, stream Bad Teacher on Netflix amid the holiday season.