Get ready to laugh with Cameron Diaz all over again. The actress is set to headline a new action comedy called “Bad Day” for Netflix. In the film, Diaz portrays Joy, a single mother struggling to fulfill one small promise to her daughter during what becomes an exceptionally chaotic day. It’s her follow-up to the streaming smash “Back in Action,” and Diaz has a cheeky name for this new chapter of her career.
“I’m in my mom-com era, as I say,” Diaz said. She described the film as depicting a mother doing her best for her children, a role that resonates with her personally. Diaz discussed the challenges of balancing parenthood, observing that one must distribute their finite energy across all aspects of life.
Meet Joy, a Mom at Her Limit
According to Diaz, her character Joy faces an especially heightened version of that struggle. Diaz explained that Joy is at a deficit without a partner, trying desperately to make everything work as the pressures in her life keep compounding, wanting nothing more than to succeed while being pulled in too many directions at once.
The premise is a comedic spin on “Falling Down,” Joel Schumacher’s 1993 drama featuring Michael Douglas as someone driven to a breaking point en route to his daughter’s birthday party.
Diaz Does Her Own Stunts
Director Jake Szymanski, who helmed the acclaimed comedy series “Jury Duty,” said “Bad Day” delivers as much action as it does laughs — and much of that action comes straight from Diaz. “We had a stunt person for Cameron that most days was just sitting around on the side because Cameron’s so game to get in there and knows how she wants to do it,” Szymanski said. “Cameron can do everything.”
Diaz was quick to add a modest caveat. “Not that much stuff though!” she said. But when Szymanski teased that her character gets hit by a car during the film, the actress owned up to it. “That’s true. I did get hit by a car,” she confirmed.
Szymanski also directed “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates.” Production was scheduled for fall 2025 in New York and New Jersey as of that July.
Behind the Scenes of the Comedy
Laura Solon wrote the original spec script for “Bad Day,” with producer Beau Bauman helping to develop it. Bauman, who produced “Back in Action” through his Good One Productions, is producing the new film as well. Solon and Mark Moran will executive produce. Solon and Bauman have now worked together three times, having previously collaborated on the comedies “Office Christmas Party” and “Let It Snow.”
Diaz was one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars for years, with credits spanning “Something About Mary,” “The Holiday,” “Bad Teacher” and the “Shrek” franchise, before she stepped away from acting in 2014. A lucrative offer and the opportunity to work again with her “Annie” co-star Jamie Foxx on “Back in Action” brought her back to the screen.
That gamble paid off in a big way. The film, about a married couple who are also former spies, debuted in January 2025 and quickly became one of Netflix’s biggest hits. It now sits at No. 6 on the platform’s most-watched movie list of all time, per Nielsen. “Back in Action” has accumulated 5.26 billion minutes viewed, making it the top original streaming movie of 2025 to date and the third-most-watched movie across all streaming platforms.
With “Bad Day,” Diaz appears fully committed to her mom-com era — and to leaning into the physical comedy that her director says she handles better than most.
Sources:
https://www.imdb.com/news/ni65380524/
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cameron-diaz-to-bad-day-for-netflix-exclusive-1236315400/
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9n0dne