Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden’s relationship continues to flourish. Their romantic journey began in May 2014, when they met at an event where Madden’s twin brother, Joel, and his wife, Nicole Richie, were present.
Just seven months later, the couple became engaged, and they exchanged vows in January 2015. Since then, they’ve welcomed two children into their family: their daughter, Raddix Madden, born in December 2019, and their son, Cardinal Madden, who arrived in 2024. Throughout the years, Diaz has expressed her admiration for Madden and their happy marriage in numerous interviews.
Diaz credits Madden for teaching her self-worth and the value of commitment
In a March 2022 episode of Michelle Visage’s Rule Breakers podcast, Diaz shared, “He’s really taught me to value myself a lot more.” She emphasized how her marriage has shown her the importance of commitment, saying, “With our marriage, I learned how to really go all in. Nothing else comes before this. It’s not hard to do because [our marriage is] the most valuable thing I have.”
A detailed timeline of Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden’s relationship highlights key moments.
In May 2014, their romance began when they met through mutual connections. During a 2021 interview on the Anna Faris Is Unqualified podcast, Diaz recounted their initial meeting: “I met them first and then they didn’t set us up, but we were in the same room because of them, and then we found each other.” She expressed her surprise at not having met Madden earlier despite being in the same social circles, wondering, “How come I didn’t see him before?”
Richie eventually introduced the two, and in July 2014, she claimed responsibility for their connection during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live, stating, “I’m going to take responsibility for everything! I approve of anything that’s going to make Benji happy.”
By August 2014, Madden had spoken to PEOPLE about the positive impact his relationship with Diaz had on him. “I’m really happy right now,” he remarked, also acknowledging how their relationship inspired his music, sharing, “It’s same for any man, no matter what they do. It drives you.”
The couple confirmed their engagement in December 2014 after months of speculation. A friend revealed to PEOPLE that the proposal occurred just a few nights prior, noting that Madden sought Diaz’s family’s blessing before asking her. “Her mom is a fan of him as well and gave her blessing,” the insider added.
They tied the knot in January 2015 during an intimate ceremony at their Beverly Hills home. The event featured a large backyard tent adorned with white flowers and candles.
Before the wedding, the couple hosted a rehearsal dinner with close friends, including Diaz’s longtime friend Drew Barrymore. A source shared with PEOPLE at the time, “Getting married is the next step when you are totally in love and comfortable with someone. Cameron has found true happiness.”
In May 2016, Diaz revealed during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show how her marriage to Madden had been instrumental in her personal development. She stated, “I do think that marriage, when you can grow with someone, it’s very important.”
Reflecting on her experience, she said, “Someone asked me, ‘What’s your favorite thing about being married?’ and I said, ‘I just learned so much about myself. I didn’t know these things. I would have never known them if I didn’t have my husband to help me.”
Adding a touch of humor, she noted, “And they said, ‘What’s the worst thing about being married?’ It’s like, ‘Well I learned all these things about myself that I wish I didn’t know. And I wouldn’t have learned them if I didn’t get married.’
So it’s a double-edged sword.” She even playfully referred to Madden using a nickname: “I call him a lot of names… ‘Muh-buh’ You know how things start ‘baby’ then to ‘bae’ then it goes to ‘buh’? Soon I’m just going to go ‘uh’ and he’s going to know I’m talking to him.”
In June 2017, Diaz discussed her decision to marry at 42 during a panel moderated by Gwyneth Paltrow at the In Goop Health wellness summit. She explained, “I think it’s a matter of I just hadn’t met my husband.
I had boyfriends before, and there’s a really, really distinct difference between husbands and boyfriends.” She highlighted how Madden differs from her past partners: “He’s just my partner in life, in everything.
I’ve never had anyone who supported me so much and gave me so much courage to be myself and to really explore myself. My husband has been able to show me what it’s like to […] be an equal. And I’ve learned so much from him. I look at him every day and he inspires me. I feel so lucky.”
On August 30, 2017, Madden shared a heartfelt birthday tribute to Diaz on Instagram. “Happy Birthday to my Beautiful Wife. I feel like I am the LUCKIEST guy ALIVE,” he wrote. He further expressed, “I don’t think anyone could ever know the Depth, Kindness and Compassion that I get to experience every day thanks to My One and Only — You got me til the end, baby.”
In December 2019, the couple announced the arrival of their daughter, Raddix Madden, born on December 30 in Los Angeles, surprising their fans. They shared their joy on Instagram, writing, “Happy New Year from the Maddens! We are so happy, blessed and grateful to begin this new decade by announcing the birth of our daughter, Raddix Madden.
She has instantly captured our hearts and completed our family.” Diaz noted that while they were excited to share the news, they wanted to protect their daughter’s privacy, stating, “So we won’t be posting pictures or sharing any more details, other than the fact that she is really really cute! Some would even say RAD.”
A source disclosed to PEOPLE that the couple had been hoping to start a family since their marriage. “Cameron really wanted to be a mom,” the insider revealed, adding that they were “hoping they would be blessed with a baby.”
In April 2020, during an Instagram Live session with Who What Wear CEO Katherine Power, Diaz expressed her love for motherhood. “I love being a mother. It’s the best, best, best part of my life,” she stated, emphasizing her gratitude for sharing the journey with Madden.
She shared insights into their nightly routine with Raddix, saying, “I have to cook at night. After we do bath time with our baby and we put her to sleep, Benji puts her to bed, he’s so good. He’s such an amazing father. I’m so lucky he’s my baby’s daddy. He’s so incredible.”
On April 23, 2020, while filming a “Makeup & Friends” episode with makeup artist Gucci Westman, Diaz reflected on her marriage to Madden, stating, “I love being married. The best thing that ever happened to me is finding my husband and our partnership and his friendship and all that.”
Nicole Richie takes credit for bringing Diaz and Madden together
Despite the pandemic, she shared how their parenting styles complemented each other, revealing, “Benji wants to go to bed late, and I like to go to bed early … that works so well for us as parents. I can go to bed a few hours early and he does those later feeds with her. I can wake up early and be with her in the morning and [Benji] can sleep.”
That experience taught her the importance of having someone with different approaches, as she concluded, “we all need somebody … somebody who doesn’t do what we do.”
In July 2020, during an interview on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, Diaz described their daughter as “the best thing that ever happened” to both her and Madden. “It’s been heaven,” she stated. “Literally every single day, there are just leaps and bounds … and she’s not the same baby that she was yesterday.”
On January 5, 2022, Diaz and Madden celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, Madden shared a touching message on Instagram, writing, “Today, 7 years married. Always dreamed of having a family like this.
Happy, peaceful, consistent, loyal and unconditional equally filled with passion and depth. Calling it a Honeymoon doesn’t cover it. Real life. The only real challenge we have is making time go slower cause life goes by fast in the happy lane, Always and forever knowing we are home @camerondiaz Happy Anniversary I love you!” Diaz reciprocated, commenting, “I love you more and more every day.
Happy, peaceful, consistent, loyal and unconditional. Passionate and deep = OUR LOVE. LOVE YOU FOREVER AND ALWAYS.” On March 9, 2022, during an episode of Michelle Visage’s Rule Breakers podcast, Diaz shared how Madden has helped her embrace her true self.
“He’s really taught me to value myself a lot more,” she noted, mentioning that before their relationship, she often sought validation elsewhere. “With our marriage, I learned how to really go all in. You know what I mean? … Nothing else comes before this,” she explained. “It’s not hard to do, because it’s the most valuable thing I have.”
In June 2022, after it was announced that Diaz would be returning to acting alongside Jamie Foxx in the Netflix film Back in Action, a source revealed to PEOPLE that Madden played a key role in her decision to unretire.
“He encouraged her to unretire,” the insider said, adding that Madden was “very excited for her.” The source mentioned that although she felt a bit rusty and nervous, she was mostly excited about taking on the project. By August 2022, Diaz celebrated her milestone 50th birthday in style, hosting a lavish party at Nobu in Malibu, attended.
