The 'new' Angels earned big box office

Diaz made her screen debut opposite Jim Carrey in the 1994 hit movie The Mask.

Since then she has moved from smaller art-house films like The Last Supper and Feeling Minnesota to big-budget Hollywood movies including My Best Friend's Wedding and There's Something About Mary.

In 1999 she earned nominations at both the Golden Globes and the Baftas for her role in Being John Malkovich, where she played against type as the dowdy, eccentric wife of John Cusack.

Diaz teamed up with Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu for the remake of 1970s TV show Charlie's Angels last year.

The film went on to become a massive hit, taking $125m (�88m) alone at the North American box office.

Work on Shrek 2 has already begun

Barrymore and director McG have already agreed to reprise their roles, with discussions still taking place with Liu.

Filming is due to start in summer 2002.

Animated movie Shrek became one of last summer's biggest movies, taking �28m at the UK and Ireland box office and $267m (�188m) in North America.

Diaz lent her vocal talents to the role of Princess Fiona, opposite Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy.

The film is tipped to win an Academy Award and work on the sequel has already started.

Mask

The actress is also starring in three upcoming high-profile movies.

She appears with Tom Cruise in Vanilla Sky, romantic-comedy The Sweetest Thing and Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York with Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis.

Diaz was born in San Diego, California in 1972 and after school she became one of the world's top models before her big break in The Mask.