Cameron Diaz Reveals Her Least Likeable On-Screen Character

Throughout her career, Cameron Diaz has often portrayed characters with at least a glimmer of decency or charm. Whether as the spirited Princess Fiona in the Shrek franchise, the streetwise Jenny in Gangs of New York, or the iconic roles in The Mask, There’s Something About Mary, and Charlie’s Angels, Diaz has typically gravitated towards parts that allow audiences to root for her, even when her characters are flawed.

However, in 2011, Diaz took a sharp turn with her role as Elizabeth Halsey in the comedy Bad Teacher. The character, a self-absorbed and reckless secondary school teacher, is left reeling after her wealthy partner ends their relationship. Forced to actually engage with her job, Elizabeth’s behaviour is anything but exemplary: she drinks, experiments with drugs, swears at pupils, and generally flouts every rule in the book for educators. On the surface, she is, by all accounts, rather dreadful.

Embracing the Unapologetic Antihero

During a press event for the film, Diaz explained what drew her to such a thoroughly disagreeable role. Having built a reputation for playing more likeable leads, she relished the chance to explore a character with no redeeming qualities.

“There was absolutely not one ounce of energy spent on making anything about this character likeable,”

she remarked.

“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 apologise’.”

Elizabeth’s misdeeds are numerous: she scams the school to fund cosmetic surgery, pursues a colleague for his money, and even frames a rival for misconduct. The film, intended as a comedy, subverts expectations by refusing to offer its protagonist a traditional path to redemption. While it appears she may have changed, the closing moments reveal that Elizabeth remains as unscrupulous as ever—a sly twist on the usual moral turnaround.

Critical Reception and Lasting Impressions

Despite a modest production budget of $20 million and a respectable box office return, Bad Teacher was not warmly received by critics. The script, the premise, and the lack of chemistry between Diaz and her co-stars Justin Timberlake and Jason Segel all came under fire. Many considered it a low point in Diaz’s otherwise impressive filmography.

Yet, for Diaz, the opportunity to play someone so unrepentant and morally questionable was a refreshing change. The role allowed her to set aside the need for audience approval and simply enjoy being the worst version of herself on screen, without consequence.