Despite being an “angel” — a member of Charlie’s Angels, that is — in the early aughts, Cameron Diaz totally switched-up her onscreen persona with 2011’s Bad Teacher. In the comedy, Cameron plays Elizabeth Halsey, who’s forced to return to her middle school teaching gig after her rich fiancé dumps her. What ensues is bombastic comedy from the entire cast!
Cameron starred alongside a slew of famous faces in the film. A number of them were well established at the time, while a few have built on their now-successful careers. Now, with the movie seeing a resurgence on streaming platforms, we’re taking a look back at the cast and where they are today!
Cameron Diaz
Already a beloved, established comedy actress when she took the lead role, Cameron Diaz played the lead in Bad Teacher. In the years after the film, Cameron started taking on only a handful of roles in film. In 2013, she starred in the ensemble cast of Ridley Scott‘s The Counselor opposite Brad Pitt and Penelope Cruz, and in 2014, she reunited with her Bad Teacher co-star Jason Segel for the raunchy comedy Sex Tape. After 2014, Cameron quietly retired from her acting gig, and turned her focus on her family. She married husband Benji Madden in a private ceremony in 2015, and four years later, the couple welcomed their first child, daughter Raddix Chloe Wildflower Madden.
Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake has seamlessly made the transition from music to film with ease. 2011 was a particularly great year for the talent, appearing in Bad Teacher, Friends with Benefits opposite Mila Kunis, and In Time with Amanda Seyfried. The next two years, Justin starred in Trouble with the Curve and Inside Llewyn Davis. Finally, he lent his vocal talents to the Trolls films in 2016 and 2019! On a personal level, Justin was embroiled in a photo scandal in the latter half of 2019 that saw him getting close to cast member Alisha Wainwright. Justin has continued to work on his marriage with Jessica Biel and begin producing new music, too.
Jason Segel
Best known for his endearing role as Marshall on the sitcom How I Met Your Mother, Jason Segel appeared in a string of comedies in the early 2010s. Along with Bad Teacher, Jason starred in Jeff, Who Lives at Home and The Muppets in 2011. In 2012, he appeared in This Is 40 and starred opposite Emily Blunt in The Five-Year Engagement. He also reunited, as previously noted, with his Bad Teacher co-star, Cameron, in 2014’s Sex Tape and earned rave reviews for his performance as author David Foster Wallace in The End of the Tour. As of 2020, Jason leads the series Dispatches from Elsewhere. Between 2012 and 2013, he dated actress Michelle Williams.
Kaitlyn Dever
Next up, young actress Kaitlyn Dever seriously broke through after Bad Teacher. The starlet was just 11 years old when she starred as Sasha Abernathy in the film and from there, she continued to land incredible roles. Since 2011, Kaitlyn has starred in critically lauded films like The Spectacular Now, Short Term 12, and Laggies. 2019, however, was Kaitlyn’s breakout year, playing opposite Beanie Feldstein in Olivia Wilde‘s directorial debut, Booksmart. This past year, Katilyn also earned her first Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series for Netflix’s Unbelievable.
Kathryn Newton
Much like Kaitlyn, Kathryn Newton also landed huge roles after 2011’s Bad Teacher, in which she played Chase Rubin-Rossi. 2017 was a big year for Kathryn, who appeared in Oscar-nominated and winning films Lady Bird and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. From there, she played Amy March in the 2017 PBS mini-series Little Women and landed her most prominent role in her filmography as Abigail Carlson in HBO’s Big Little Lies. She also starred in Netflix’s The Society, which was sadly canceled after one season.
Lucy Punch
Lucy Punch might not be widely known, but audiences would definitely recognize the British actress from her many roles after appearing as Amy Squirrel in Bad Teacher. Lucy has landed roles in TV shows such as Ben and Kate, New Girl, and most recently in What We Do In The Shadows on FX. As for her film roles, Lucy appeared in Cake opposite Jennifer Aniston, Into The Woods, and She’s Funny That Way.
Molly Shannon
Molly Shannon can truly play any role she sets her mind to. After playing Melody in Bad Teacher, Molly has continued to land roles in both film and TV. The Saturday Night Live alum took on a dramatic turn in 2016’s Other People, while breaking out her funny chops again in The Little Hours in 2017. In 2018, she took on yet another dramatic role in Tamara Jenkins lauded film Private Life, and earned rave reviews for her performance in Wild Nights with Emily. Regardless of whether it’s comedy or drama, we love seeing Molly shine on the big and small screen!
John Michael Higgins
John Michael Higgins played Principal Wally Snur in Bad Teacher and the character actor has gone on to make small appearances in a slew of fan favorite films and TV shows. Some of John’s credit’s include Pitch Perfect, Drunk History, and Angie Tribeca among a slew of other titles! He currently plays Principal Roland Toddman in the reboot of Saved by the Bell!
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