Cameron Diaz
She won our hearts in the film The Holiday, and in a host of other roles she played over the past years, including There’s Something About Mary and Being John Malkovich, among others. While she is an acclaimed actress, Cameron Diaz is also a supporter of women’s rights and a brand ambassador for Swiss watch brand TAG Heuer. Recently, while here in New York, Diaz spoke in an exclusive interview with Gotham Magazine about her passions and the role time plays in her life.
Q: How do you divide your time between your personal life and work life?
CD: “Because I am fortunate enough to make a living doing what I love doing and I get to participate in things I am passionate about, I don’t really ever consider myself working – I feel like I get to do so many amazing things and I’m so blessed to be doing what I do that it doesn’t feel like work. There are times when you need to have some down time, or time when you don’t have to do something, but that’s what Sundays are for; Sundays are for brunch end relaxing.”
Q: You are quite actively involved in the United Nations’ organization, UN Women, can you tell us more?
CD: “UN Women is always fighting for equality for women all over the world, and especially for women who don’t have anybody to fight for them, those women who are really struggling to be recognized as human beings. This is something we take for granted here in America because we are born with the rights that these women will never know. So, when you look at that as a woman, you can’t really be in good conscience if you see it and do not want to help them. I am really passionate about this organization and its fights for gender equality. It is all about empowering women. “
Q: What benefit does a watch give to you?
CD: “I think of a watch as something purposeful on your wrist that looks beautiful. It’s a subtle thing, maybe even more of a subconscious thing, but there is an empowerment to wearing a watch. It lets you track that one thing that is so important to everybody – the moments – and to do it in a beautiful way. Everybody is keeping track of time: ‘how much more time do I have before I have to go? Before I have to pick someone up or see someone I love?’. It is all about the moments in life and to be able to track them with a watch on the wrist is a beautiful thing. It is empowering and liberating.”
TAG Heuer Link Lady
Q: Did you have a relationship with TAG Heuer before signing on as an ambassador?
CD: “Yes Q: Does your work with TAG Heuer help the cause?
“Yes, I have always been fond of TAG Heuer. It is the first watch I ever bought for myself. I bought it when I was 18 because I had just gotten certified for scuba diving and was going on my first dive trip for two weeks. I bought a TAG Heuer men’s dive watch, and I have worn that every day for years and years. I still have it, but now that I work with TAG I also have a Monaco and a beautiful Link ladies watch that are more like jewelry and I can wear them anytime. I feel like I have on a piece of jewelry but also a utilitarian piece that helps me maintain my schedule and keep me on time doing all of the things I love to do. But another thing I love about the brand, and part of the reason I signed on, is that it is very philanthropic oriented, and so a portion of the proceeds of the watch sales for the new campaign I am in goes to UN Women. ”
Q: You maintain an apartment in New York, even though you live in LA. What do you love most here?
CD: “Well, LA is my home, that’s where my family and a huge part of my life is lived. But I do really love the vibrancy of New York, and I particularly love the seasons here. I make sure to skip in for a few days as often as I can, and always during the different seasons.”
(Note: portions of this article by Roberta Naas appeared in Gotham Magazine)
