Cameron Diaz Credits Therapy as 'Big Thing' in Marriage with Benji Madden: 'It’s What We Depend On'

Mar. 15, 2025

Cameron Diaz on Nov. 19; Benji Madden on May 13.Photo:Stefanie Keenan/Getty; JC Olivera/Getty

Stefanie Keenan/Getty; JC Olivera/Getty

Cameron Diazis opening up about the key to marriage success withBenji Madden.Speaking candidly to her brother-in-lawJoel Maddenon the Wednesday, Dec. 11 episode of hisArtist Friendlypodcast, the actress-entrepreneur, 52, credited therapy as a cornerstone of her relationship.“Therapy is a big thing in our family,” she said with a laugh. “It’s what we depend on.”Joel, 45, who has been married toNicole Richiesince 2010, agreed: “Big time.”For Diaz, regular couples therapy reinforces having “that commitment to work on” a marriage.“To not do the same thing over and over again, trying to figure out if doing it again will make it work this time. Going, like, ‘Why didn’t it work? How can I make it work? What’s my part? What’s the other person’s work?’ ”Benji Madden and Cameron Diaz in 2016.Donato Sardella/GettyBy talking out conflicts and issues with a third-party professional, she added, couples can “go into the next attempt a little bit more equipped to hopefully come out with a different outcome.“TheBack in Actionstar sharesRaddix and Cardinalwith Benji, 45.“You can’t be in a marriage and have a family if both people are not 100 percent every day,” she told Joel of their relationship. “Nobody can be 99 and the other one be 100. Even if you’re mad at each other, don’t want to see each other, sick of each other, it’s still 100 percent commitment to the marriage and to the partnership and the family.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Contrasting her marriage with Benji’s fraternal relationship, she said she often must tell her husband, “I’m not your twin… You can’t finish my sentences. You don’t know what I’m thinking.”Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden in 2022.Ricky Vigil M/GC Images“For me as a brother,” Joel told Diaz, her marrying Benji was “the best thing that ever happened to him.”“Yeah, it is,” she responded with a laugh. “It’s the thing that I’m most grateful for in my life, is our marriage and our family. Period. That’s it.”Diaz’s appearance onArtist Friendlymarked the 100th episode of the Good Charlotte vocalist’s podcast. She iscurrently filmingdirector-starJonah Hill’s dark comedy filmOutcome, reuniting withFeeling MinnesotacostarKeanu Reeves.Back in Action, costarringJamie Foxx,Glenn Close, Kyle Chandler and Andrew Scott, will premiere on Netflix on Jan. 17, 2025.

Cameron Diazis opening up about the key to marriage success withBenji Madden.

Speaking candidly to her brother-in-lawJoel Maddenon the Wednesday, Dec. 11 episode of hisArtist Friendlypodcast, the actress-entrepreneur, 52, credited therapy as a cornerstone of her relationship.

“Therapy is a big thing in our family,” she said with a laugh. “It’s what we depend on.”

Joel, 45, who has been married toNicole Richiesince 2010, agreed: “Big time.”

For Diaz, regular couples therapy reinforces having “that commitment to work on” a marriage.

“To not do the same thing over and over again, trying to figure out if doing it again will make it work this time. Going, like, ‘Why didn’t it work? How can I make it work? What’s my part? What’s the other person’s work?’ ”

Benji Madden and Cameron Diaz in 2016.Donato Sardella/Getty

Donato Sardella/Getty

By talking out conflicts and issues with a third-party professional, she added, couples can “go into the next attempt a little bit more equipped to hopefully come out with a different outcome.”

TheBack in Actionstar sharesRaddix and Cardinalwith Benji, 45.

“You can’t be in a marriage and have a family if both people are not 100 percent every day,” she told Joel of their relationship. “Nobody can be 99 and the other one be 100. Even if you’re mad at each other, don’t want to see each other, sick of each other, it’s still 100 percent commitment to the marriage and to the partnership and the family.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Contrasting her marriage with Benji’s fraternal relationship, she said she often must tell her husband, “I’m not your twin… You can’t finish my sentences. You don’t know what I’m thinking.”

Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden in 2022.Ricky Vigil M/GC Images

Ricky Vigil M/GC Images

“For me as a brother,” Joel told Diaz, her marrying Benji was “the best thing that ever happened to him.”

“Yeah, it is,” she responded with a laugh. “It’s the thing that I’m most grateful for in my life, is our marriage and our family. Period. That’s it.”

Diaz’s appearance onArtist Friendlymarked the 100th episode of the Good Charlotte vocalist’s podcast. She iscurrently filmingdirector-starJonah Hill’s dark comedy filmOutcome, reuniting withFeeling MinnesotacostarKeanu Reeves.

Back in Action, costarringJamie Foxx,Glenn Close, Kyle Chandler and Andrew Scott, will premiere on Netflix on Jan. 17, 2025.

source: people.com