Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden Are Moving Fast! See Their Plans for Marriage and Baby

Cameron Diaz is settling down. After years of being fiercely and famously independent, flitting between relationships with a wellspring of romantic energy that a teenager would envy, the 41-year-old actress has suddenly decided that she wants marriage and babies, like, yesterday—because she’s finally found the right guy. After being spotted making out and holding hands with her new beau, Good Charlotte guitarist Benji Madden, 35, in New York City last week, Cameron has decided she’s not only taking their two-month-old relationship public—she’s taking it all the way!

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"Cameron is falling hard for Benji," says a close insider. "She’s said that he could be the one and is hopeful that it will be long-term." And now that Cam knows what she wants, she wants it now. She recently told friends that she feels like time’s a-wastin’. "Cameron’s not mucking around on this," says a friend. "She wants to be pregnant by the end of the year." No one is more surprised by this news than Cameron herself. Two years ago, she told a magazine reporter, "I’m not sitting here going, 'Oh my god, when am I going to get married? When am I going to have a baby?' I would be remiss if I was living my life wishing I had something other than what I have." That same year, as a guest on Chelsea Lately, she insisted, "I’ve just never been in the place where I was like, 'Right now is the time I’m supposed to have a baby.'"

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And only two months ago, she said right here to OK!, "I am very much a person who lives in the moment... I don’t worry about where I’m going to go or what I’m going to do, or how it’s going to happen."

But that was all before she fell for Benji, whose twin brother (and bandmate) Joel Madden is married to Cameron’s bestie, Nicole Richie. "Cameron knew Benji at a distance for years because of Nicole, but she’s never been attracted to tattooed rocker types," says the friend. "After getting to know him more intimately over recent months, she’s learned that behind his bad-boy exterior is a very sweet, religious man. His confidence really drew her in."

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Cameron has dated a slew of lust-worthy men, from brooding Jared Leto to smoldering Justin Timberlake to beefy Alex Rodriguez—but none have made her yearn for motherhood like Benji has. "He’s top dog for baby daddy right now," says an insider. "In the past, most of the guys Cameron’s dated have been alpha males, but Benji is much more gentle and low-key. He’s self-assured enough that he can let Cameron shine, and that’s a huge turn-on for her."

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She’s so smitten, in fact, that she’s told Benji she wants to elope and already started exploring her options for conceiving his baby. "She’s looking into IVF and whatever’s available to her. She won’t adopt, though—she wants to go through the whole pregnancy experience, so hopefully it’s not too late." Nicole, who has 5-year-old daughter Harlow and 3-year-old son Sparrow with hubby Joel, has also had an undeniable influence on Cameron's timeline. "Having kids has been weighing heavily on Cameron's mind since she became so close to Nicole," says the insider. "She's seen how much pleasure and joy she gets from children, not to mention how much they've helped change her image from trashy reality starlet to an elegant, respected woman and revered fashionista."

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Benji may appear to be better suited for a tour bus than a rousing rendition of "Wheels on the Bus (Go Round and Round)," but friends say he has astonishingly natural affinity for kids. And because of Nicole, Cam has already gotten a firsthand glimpse of what kind of dad he’d make. "Benji is everyone’s favorite uncle when he visits his brother’s kids," says an insider. "Watching how Benji is with Nicole and Joel’s kids really melts Cameron’s heart. He’s incredible with them."

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What do you think of this new couple? Do you think they're a good fit? Do you think they would make cute babies? Tell us in the comments below or tweet us @OKMagazine.