Why Cameron Diaz ‘Cried Uncontrollably’ Over the Annie Movie and Carol Burnett’s Encouraging Words

Cameron Diaz is a hard-ass Miss Hannigan in the upcoming movie remake of the beloved Broadway musical, but the actress had to face her fears to play the role. In the November issue of Marie Claire, Diaz explains why she was terrified but had to say yes.

“It's not very often you get to do a musical. Even though I was terrified of doing it, I kind of had to,” Diaz said. “The two things I'm most terrified of are heights and singing in front of people. I've jumped out of airplanes and scaled sides of cliffs—not to get over my fears, but to address them. I just felt like this is something that needed to be addressed. I cried uncontrollably. Everybody was so supportive and having fun with it because I was so pathetic, but the only way to get through scary things is to have a sense of humor about it."

Broadway.com asked Love Letters star Carol Burnett, who memorably played the Miss Hannigan in the 1982 movie version of Annie, her take on Diaz as the boozy orphanage caretaker. “Oh, I think she’ll be wonderful! I’ve been a fan of hers since My Best Friend’s Wedding, that one with Julia Roberts where she stole the movie,” Burnett said. “I don’t mean that disparagingly for Julia Roberts because I’m a big fan of hers, but [when I saw Diaz], I said, ‘Whoa! Who is this girl?!’ She was so funny. I think she’s going to be great.”

The new remake of Annie, which features Quvenzhane Wallis in the title role as well as a starry cast that includes Jamie Foxx, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale and more, opens on December 19.