Cameron Diaz Says Her Return to Acting Feels a 'Little Bit Different' But Is Like 'Muscle Memory'

Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz has found her return to acting to be like riding a bike.

The Golden Globe nominee, 50, admitted she's "both" nervous and excited to star in Jamie Foxx's upcoming Netflix movie Back in Action, her first acting gig since retiring eight years ago, as she appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Friday.

"It's a little bit of muscle memory, you know what I mean?" she explained. "I did that for so long, it's kind of like the process, I kind of just fell back into it. But it feels a little bit different.

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"And I've also made two movies with Jamie, which is amazing. ... The last movie I made was Annie with Jamie, and so the first movie back is this film with Jamie. So, it's amazing. He's so great, he's so easy, he's so professional, he's so talented, and just being able to work with him, it will be so much fun," Diaz added.

In addition to 2014's Annie remake, the pair also worked together on the 1999 sports drama Any Given Sunday.

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She explained that Foxx, 54, is "like a racehorse" behind-the-scenes, as he serves as both her costar and executive producer on Back in Action.

Diaz announced her casting in the film and her return to Hollywood in June during a cheeky recorded phone call with Foxx and fellow un-retiree Tom Brady.

A source close to the film told PEOPLE: "When this project came along and she was pursued by Jamie Foxx, who she has known and worked with for years, she decided to go for it."

David M. Benett/WireImage

Foxx also raved about Diaz's talent and getting her back in front of the camera as he spoke to Entertainment Tonight last month.

"Cameron is such an incredible force and she has done so much in this business. We love her," he gushed, explaining how he got her onboard: "So it was literally, 'Do you wanna have some fun? Just have some fun!' And I think that's what brought her to it."

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"We miss special moments sometimes in our business, and I think this is a special moment. So we're so happy that it's happening and looking forward to it," Foxx added.

Since retiring, Diaz has married Good Charlotte member Benji Madden, and they welcomed daughter Raddix, 2½, in 2019. A source told PEOPLE that Madden, 43, "is very excited for her" and "encouraged her to unretire."