Cameron Diaz, 52, declares that 'women are the ones who will change the world' as she takes to the stage at ELLE event - as she returns to acting six years after announcing retirement

Cameron Diaz has insisted that it will be women who will change the world as she took to the stage at ELLE's 2024 Women in Hollywood celebration on Tuesday.

The actress, 52, looked incredible during the evening, wearing a glitzy sequin belted dress with an elegant skirt and a pair of black heeled pumps, as she marks her return to acting six years after announcing retirement.

Cameron wore her blonde locks in soft waves and opted for glamorous make-up, while adding a slick of red lipstick to complete her glamorous ensemble.

Addressing the audience on stage in a video shared by Elle's social media page, Cameron said: 'This is the kind of conversation, these are the kind of notions and the thoughts that we need to share with the world... 

'To help them understand that women do shape this world. Women are in fact the ones who are going to change it.'

Inside the bash, Cameron caught up with some of the rest of the Hollywood elite, including Demi Moore, Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez.

Elle's 2024 Women in Hollywood event celebrates the women whose 'daring work challenged and inspired' this year.

10 women were selected for this year's issue, including Demi, Selena, Cynthia Erivo, Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton.

Cameron's appearance comes soon after she opened up about reigniting her acting career after going into retirement six years ago.  

During an appearance at Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit in October, she revealed she had to 'push' herself to return in front of the camera after enjoying time with her family, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

It's been 10 years since Cameron last starred in a film - the 2014 movie musical Annie - but she now has several movies in the pipeline, including Back in Action, her upcoming Netflix film with Jamie Foxx.

In the time since her last film, she also entered the wine business, launching the natural wine Avaline in 2020.

Cameron admitted she could have remained at home with her family for as long as she'd like after the pandemic, but ultimately decided to pursue acting once again with the support of her husband, Benji Madden, 45.

'It was just the right time for my family. After Covid, we were in the house for a long time, which was amazing and the problem was we would probably stay there, we would still be there right now,' Diaz said. 

'People would be like, "It’s over" and I'd be like, "No it’s not, it’s not over for me,"' she said of returning to acting.

'So I had to push myself; my husband and I — my husband, who is the best — he was like, "You’ve been supporting us and building the family" and supporting him in his businesses, he’s like, "It’s time for us to support you and let Mommy ascend and do her thing." He’s like, "Let me see you do it girl." I was like, "Alright, here we go."'

Cameron, who previously worked with Foxx on Annie and the 1999 film Any Given Sunday, said she 'couldn't say no' to her former co-star after he asked her to work with him on Back In Action.

The Mask star said she 'He said, "Come with me" and I said, "OK let’s do it;" it’s our third film together so it's really great.'

According to the official logline, Back in Action follows Matt and Emily (Foxx and Diaz), who, after retiring from their CIA spy careers to start a family, are unexpectedly pulled back into the world of international espionage when their cover is blown. It'll hit the streamer on January 17, 2025.

But that's not the only film Cameron is appearing in post-retirement.

She is set to return to her role of Princess Fiona in the upcoming fifth installment of Shrek 5, which will see her reunite with former co-stars Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy.