Cameron Diaz Called Marriage a ‘Dying Institution’ & Had Untraditional Rule before Meeting Spouse

Famous American Actress Cameron Diaz, who has multiple blockbuster movies under her belt and a vast fan base, did not believe in marriage until she met Benji Madden.

Cameron Diaz had been involved in many romantic relationships when she declared that marriage was a dying institution and one that did not interest her.

But when she fell in love with guitarist Benji Madden, the veteran actress retracted her words.

CAMERON AND BENJI'S LOVE STORY

Cameron Diaz met rockstar Benji Madden through her sister-in-law Nicole Richie. Although the actress met Benji's identical twin brother Joel first, she was only attracted to the latter.

Diaz revealed even though Benji and his twin Joel look so much alike, they are different people with distinctive characters. Benji made an immediate impact the first time they met, and she was immediately attracted to him.

She confessed: "I saw him walking towards me, and I was like, 'Huh, he's hot. I haven't seen him before,'" however when she found out who he was, she thought,

"Oh, you, you, you're special. You're the guy. You're the hidden gem in my life."

The duo got engaged after seven months of dating. While speaking to reporters about the engagement, Diaz said she believed one has to find a person who is in the same place as they are. She also believes the timing is everything.

Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden tied the knot in 2015 in an intimate ceremony held at Diaz's Beverly home.

The actress who did not plan on ever getting married serenaded her husband with praises in her 2016 book, "The Longevity Book: The Science of Aging, the Biology of Strength, and the Privilege of Time." Diaz wrote:

"I never knew what love was until I found you. How did I ever live without your love, your friendship, your brilliant mind, your genius sense of humor, and your enormous, loving, beautiful heart?"

She thanked him for being an inspiration to her and praised Benji for being her best friend, life partner, and teacher.

Benji returned the favor with his Instagram post to celebrate her 44th birthday in August 2016. He gushed over Diaz and praised her for being humble, selfless, loyal, and compassionate.

In January 2020, the couple delighted fans when they announced the birth of their child, Raddix.

15-MINUTES WEDDING CEREMONY

Hollywood marriages in recent years have developed a reputation for being very expensive to stage, with celebrities going all out to make the special day even more memorable by donning exotic attires.

Cameron Diaz and her husband broke that trend when the couple opted to hold the ceremony at their Beverly Hills home instead of staging a huge wedding.

Diaz's sister-in-law Nicole Richie and her "Charlie's Angels" co-star Drew Barrymore were the bridesmaids at the beautiful, heartwarming ceremony. Notable attendees include Lionel Richie, Gweneth Paltrow, Judd Apatow, and Samantha Ronson.

The wedding procession itself reportedly lasted for 15 minutes before guests were convinced to enjoy their cocktails and music underneath a tent placed outside.

The adorable duo spent their first night as a married couple at the house before leaving for Wyoming later that month on honeymoon.

DIAZ'S VIEWS ON MARRIAGE AND UNTRADITIONAL RULE

During an interview for "Maxim's Hot 100" list, Cameron Diaz said she believed marriage was a dying institution. People have to make their own rules instead of living their lives based on old traditions that do not fit anymore.

The actress, who was in a relationship with baseball player Alex Rodriguez at the time, explained that even though things were fantastic between them, she did not think marriage was the next step for them.

The "Charlie's Angels" star also admitted she has a rule she lives by, even though it is a bit untraditional. The rule is that one should have sex as much as possible.

Diaz insisted she would prescribe having sex at least once a day because sex leads to great things. The other nice thing about sex is that it can also happen anywhere.

Surprisingly, the actress reversed her tune on marriage when she met and married guitarist Benji Madden in 2015.

During an interview with Harper's Bazaar, the actress said: "[Marriage] was the biggest thing I've done in my 40s, and it opened me up in different ways. It's pretty awesome. I didn't think it was something I'd do, and I don't know if I'd have done it if I hadn't met my husband. It was a surprise."

These comments are in stark contrast to the view once held by the famous entertainer who has since become a mother.

WORST THING ABOUT BEING MARRIED

During an appearance on the "Ellen DeGeneres Show," Cameron Diaz spoke about her husband Benji and the best and worst things about marriage for her.

The super talented actress explained that discovering herself has been the most beautiful thing about marriage.Diaz said she would never have discovered some traits without the help of her husband.

Discovering those traits was also the worst thing about marriage because she wished she never learned what she did about herself. The veteran actress said:

"So it's like this double-edged sword. But I'm just so grateful for it because I couldn't do it without my husband, and I couldn't do it with anybody else except for him."

The mother of one also stated that she has discovered that having a fulfilled relationship is an essential aspect of life.

WHAT PARENTS THE COUPLE IS

After her marriage to Benji, Cameron Diaz took a step back from acting. This happened before the couple welcomed their daughter Raddix in 2020.

A month after her birth, Benji affectionately posted pictures of his wife and child on his Instagram page. The rock star said Diaz and Raddix fill him up with so much gratitude every day, and he is so lucky to have them.

A couple of months later, in an Instagram Live with "Who What Wear" CEO Katherine Power, Diaz spoke about her new role as a mother. The actress explained that motherhood is the very best part of her life. She said:

"I love being a mother. I'm so grateful and so happy, and it's the best thing ever, and I'm so lucky to do it with Benj, and we're having the best time."

Diaz is so thrilled at the experience, and she also praised Benji for being an amazing father who would sometimes take care of the baby to allow her to cook and rest.

Benji praised his wife for making him a father during a mother's day celebration. Before stating how lucky he was to have her, he tagged Diaz, a great mom, wife, and friend. It is safe to say that they are both lucky to have each other.