The duo star together in the new Netflix film ‘Back in Action’
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Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx have got each other’s backs.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Back in Action Director Seth Gordon says the duo supported each other throughout filming — when Diaz, 52, marked her return to acting with her first movie in over a decade and Foxx, 57, had a medical emergency during production in April 2023.
“They took turns in a really deep way supporting each other,” the filmmaker, 48, says of Diaz and Foxx.
“Anyone who was on set will tell you [Jamie] was the biggest cheerleader and hype man for [Diaz], and really for everybody involved, but especially for her,” he continues. “So she got to return the favor in that way spiritually.”
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Back in Action stars Foxx and Diaz as former CIA spies Matt and Emily, “Years after giving up life as CIA spies to start a family, Emily and Matt find themselves dragged back into the world of espionage when their cover is blown,” an official Netflix synopsis explains.
Foxx and Diaz previously starred together in 2014’s Annie — the actress’ last film before Back in Action — and they first shared the screen in 1999’s Any Given Sunday.
According to Gordon, getting to collaborate with Foxx and Diaz was an experience like no other. He describes the first time he met with the duo as a “holy s— moment.”
“[They were] totally finishing each other’s sentences … and seeing their chemistry and that energy together was really inspiring,” Gordon says.
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Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz in December 2014. David M. Benett/WireImage
Foxx and Diaz’s close friendship, Gordon tells PEOPLE, even inspired him to put more comedy into the Netflix project.
“It made me want a little less action and a little more hanging out, so that they could play,” he explains. “Because whenever we got to do those scenes, it just breathed life into me and the crew.”
“When you see people just crushing it, it’s inspiring for everybody, right? … So I tried to do that as much as possible, keeping in mind that the word ‘action’ is in the damn title, so we can’t remove too much stuff,” Gordon continues. “But they’re amazing together.”
Back in Action is currently available to stream on Netflix.
