Cameron Diaz seen shooting new Netflix film in Plainfield

PLAINFIELD – Hopefully, Cameron Diaz had a good day last week when filming in the city for her new film “Bad Day.” The four-time Golden Globe nominee was in Queen City on Sept. 29 shooting the new Netfilx film at the former Courier News building at 220 Park Avenue, part of the North Avenue Historic District.

The building, which housed the more than 140-year-old newspaper until the early 1960s, was turned into a fictional furniture store set for the Netflix movie. Ironically, the building itself was a furniture store during one of its incarnations after the newspaper relocated. In recent times, the vacant building has been used for variety of purposes, the most recent being as a set for “Bad Day.”

In the film, Diaz’s character, an employee at the fictional store “Rooms & More,” is a single mother trying to keep a promise to her daughter on a very “bad day.” The Netflix project, with a script penned by Laura Solon, has been described as a comedic version of the film “Falling Down.” That 1993 action drama, now considered a cult classic, was directed by Joel Schumacher. It starred Michael Douglas as a man who hits his breaking point and goes into a violent rampage while trying to get to his daughter’s birthday party.

“Bad Day” Director Jake Szymanski, film extras and a full crew were seen on Sept. 29 at the historical building, along with Diaz. “Bad Day” is written by Laura Solon and also features Ed O’Neill, Danielle Brooks, John Higgins, Rhenzy Feliz, Jessica Belkin and Emma Pearson as cast members.

The film is expected to wrap production in December, with other shooting sites in Passaic and Bloomfield. The Garden State is quickly becoming “New Hollywood,” as Netflix Fort Monmouth studio increases the state’s production portfolio. The studio, which broke ground in 2024, is expected to be completed sometime in 2028. The site will serve as a hub for production crews working throughout the state and house multiple soundstages, office buildings and studio trailer parks.

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“Bad Day” is not the first to film in Plainfield. In April, Netflix filmed scenes in the Van Wyck Brooks Historic District for “The Whisper Man,” starring Adam Scott and Robert De Niro. “Riff Raff,” starring Gabrielle Union and Jennifer Coolidge, also shot on North Avenue in late 2023, while “The Walking Dead: Dead City” and “It Ends with Us” also chose the city as a backdrop in recent years.

Diaz made her film debut at age 21 opposite Jim Carrey in the comedy “The Mask” in 1994. Notable movies such as “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” “Something About Mary,” “The Holiday,” “Being John Malkovich,” “Bad Teacher” and “Charlie’s Angels,” followed making her “highest-paid actress over 40” in 2013. The next year, after “Annie,” Diaz began a decade-long break from Hollywood to focus on her family, which includes two children and her husband Benji Madden.

“Bad Day” marks another step in her return to the silver screen after a 10-year absence. Recently, Diaz was seen in “Back in Action,” another Netflix production. That project, which debuted in January 2025, also starred Diaz’s “Annie” co-star Jamie Foxx. It is the most watched original streaming movie of the year so far, with 5.26 billion minutes viewed, and the third-most-watched movie on any streaming platform.

Diaz also is expected to reprise her role as Princess Fiona in “Shrek 5,” scheduled for release in 2027.

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Cheryl Makin is an award-winning feature, news and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Cameron Diaz seen shooting new Netflix film in Plainfield