We all know the world is pretty messed up when it comes to having unrealistic beauty 'ideals' and expectations, especially for women and female-presenting folk. Not only can it feel like there's an immense pressure to have a particular body shape (something exacerbated by social media and which has even lead to a rise in risky BBL surgery), but also to stay looking 'youthful' at every age.
Both of which are something that actor Cameron Diaz just opened up about in a new podcast with Michelle Visage, Rule Breakers, on which she said that at the age of 49, she's fallen 'victim' to every BS expectation going.
"I am absolutely a victim to all of the societal objectification and exploitations that women are subjected to. I have bought into all of them myself at certain times," she confessed to Michelle. "It's hard not to, it's hard not to look at yourself and judge yourself against other markers of beauty, and I think that that’s one of the biggest things... The last eight years, girl, I’m like wild. I’m like a wild animal, like a beast and I don't care!"
The Charlie's Angels star also said that being in the Hollywood spotlight lead to her overanalysing her body and having a negative approach towards it.
"You stop looking in the mirror and stop taking selfies, as an actor I probably sit in the mirror for seven hours a day... it's toxic. You just start to pick yourself apart, you know," she explained. "And you’re like 'Why I am sitting here like being so mean to myself? My body's strong, my body's capable. Why am I going to talk down to it? Why am I going to be mean to it when it's like carried me this far?'."
However, the mother-of-one said she's now turned a corner and that overthinking her appearance isn't something she has time for any more, or allows herself to do. "I'm going to be fifty this year, it's so great because you know more... The last thing I think about [now] on a daily basis [is] what I look like," she concluded.
Fair play, Cameron, fair play – we love the honesty.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
