Feature: Cameron Diaz: A Star At Last

5 months ago 27th Jun 08:15

This week, Cameron Diaz was given one of the greatest honours a celebrity can receive - a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The 36-year-old beauty became the 2,386th person to be awarded a plaque on the world-famous pavement and Cameron could hardly contain her excitement.

"It will be cool to be under people's feet," she enthused, "It really is the place where people can understand exactly that actors are not really stars - they don't exist in the sky, they exist on the ground just like everybody else."

And despite being one of the world's wealthiest and most beautiful women, you get the impression that deep-down, Cameron is really just like one of us.

After making her screen debut in Jim Carrey's hit comedy 'The Mask' at the age of 21 - a part she won after being recommended be her modelling agent despite having no acting experience - Cameron went on to become a Hollywood superstar with roles in huge box-office hits including 'There's Something About Mary', 'My Best Friend's Wedding', 'Gangs of New York' and 'Shrek'.

It will be cool to be under people's feet, she enthused, It really is the place where people can understand exactly that actors are not really stars - they don't exist in the sky, they exist on the ground just like everybody else.

Although her stunning good looks play a part in her success, it was Cameron's sense of humour and her ability to remain grounded which really endeared her to fans, both male and female.

Unlike many other actors and actresses, Cameron is quite happy to poke fun at herself and isn't worried about retaining a perfect image.

So when she appeared on 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno', it didn't come as a shock when she downed a bottle of coca cola and burped loudly, even though she knew the clip would be replayed over and over again.

She also isn't afraid of talking about her imperfections and admitted to having plastic surgery on her nose, after breaking it for the fourth time while surfing.

Speaking before the operation, she said: "I'm getting it fixed. I can't take it. I cannot breathe at all. One side of my nose is totally shattered - my septum is basically like a train derailed."

But while Cameron's looks and sense of humour have helped her build a hugely successful career, neither have a place in her latest role.

The actress takes on the part of Sara Fitzgerald, a mother who is struggling to cope with her elder daughter's debilitating cancer, in 'My Sister's Keeper', which is based on Jodi Picoult's best-selling novel.

In a bid to save her daughter, Sara and her husband have another child genetically engineered to provide bone marrow and other genetic material for the dying teenager.

As the story progresses, the younger girl - tired of the frequent painful medical procedures - sues her parents for control of her own body.

Although Cameron is not a mother herself, she can relate to Sara's desperation to save her sick daughter because she felt the same way when her father got sick and passed away last year.

"Family is so important," she explained. "What drew all of us to this story was the family, and the stories of each of these characters. I think we all related to the fact that there isn't anything that you wouldn't give someone that you love that deeply.

"You do whatever it takes to keep that person alive. I think that that's something that spoke to most of us, for this film, and what I think is so effective, in the film. I think the most important thing that I've found in my life is just my family and friends."