Summary
- Cameron Diaz almost didn't star in the hit comedy The Mask, but her iconic role launched her to superstardom.
- Director Chuck Russell initially wanted to cast Anna Nicole Smith as Tina, but after meeting her, he felt Diaz had the "other qualities needed for the role."
- The possibility of a Mask reboot has been discussed, including a female-led spin, but Cameron Diaz has not been officially approached for the project. A comeback for the character is still a possibility.
Though it was one of her breakout roles, Cameron Diaz almost didn’t star in the hit comedy The Mask. The actress got her start in the 1994 film loosely based on the Dark Horse comic of the same name as the character Tina Carlyle, and the box office smash introduced the young star to the world at large. Jim Carrey headlined as Stanley Ipkiss, a sweet, but timid bank clerk who is transformed into a green-faced, zoot-suit-wearing cartoon of a gangster after donning a magical mask he found on the street.
The Mask was a critical and commercial success that grossed over $350 million (via Jim Carrey made history in 1994 with roles in Dumb & Dumber and The Mask and the latter also launched Cameron Diaz to superstardom. The actress, who was modeling at the time of her casting, played Stanley’s love interest and held her own with her bombastic co-star. Although it was this role that made Diaz famous, she actually wasn’t the director’s first choice.
Anna Nicole Smith Was Almost Cast In The Mask Instead of Cameron Diaz
According to Variety, director Chuck Russell hoped to cast the late Anna Nicole Smith in the part. However, he said after meeting with the model/actress that although she was “charming and bubbly”, she didn’t “have other qualities needed for the role”. So, rather than have Smith read for Tina, the search continued. The Mask casting director Fern Champion, who was looking specifically at models, met with Cameron Diaz and felt she had “instant likability.” Apparently, once Russell saw Diaz read for the part, he decided she was the only one who could play Tina. It took eight callbacks and a few improv sessions with Carrey, but eventually, the studio was convinced as well.
It’s difficult to imagine The Mask without Cameron Diaz in the role of Tina, not only because it made the actress a huge star, but also because she was so perfect in the part. It makes a certain kind of sense that Russell was initially interested in Anna Nicole Smith, considering she was such a popular figure at the time. However, that definitely would’ve been a very different movie.
Could Cameron Diaz Return To A Mask Reboot?
In 2019, the film celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary and The Mask creator Mike Richardson expressed interest in a reboot. He even put forward ideas for a female-led spin on the story, though he chose not to reveal who he wanted in the role. However, Richardson's ambitious idea gained little traction in the years since, and no solid plans came of the comic book legend's musings. Cameron Diaz was never officially approached for the project, and it is highly likely that the moment has ed. On the other hand, with the immense popularity of reboots and sequels, Dark Horse's signature comic character could make a comeback in a future spin on The Mask.
