Emily (Cameron Diaz) and Matt (Jamie Foxx) were once spies in Netflix’sBack in Action, but the exact details of their jobs for the CIA are a bit harder to explain. At the start ofCameron Diaz’s comeback movie, Emily and Matt were trying to hide the fact that they were once spies from their children, Alice (McKenna Roberts) and Leo (Rylan Jackson). By theend ofBack in Action, however, their children not only knew about their work for the CIA, they had gotten personally involved in their espionage work and met a huge portion of thecast ofBack in Action.
While Matt and Emily explained they used to be spies, they didn’t get into all the details of their former jobs. It was probably for the best that they didn’t tell their children the specific dangers and challenges their espionage work entailed, but it also meant that their spy days were a bit unclear. Matt briefly explained their job title, and while it might not have made much sense inBack in Action, it actually provided a good synopsis of what kind of espionage they did fifteen years before they had their children.
Matt & Emily Were Quick Reaction Nonofficial Cover Operatives For The CIA
After their massive brawl at the gas station, Matt and Emily had to come clean to Alice and Leo about who they were before they became parents.As Matt explained, he and Emily were considered QRN - Quick Reaction Non-Official cover operatives that worked for the CIA. As Matt also explained, that meant that they were essentially spies in the most traditional understanding of the term. Emily and Matt were sent by the CIA to conduct undercover espionage like information gathering, asset retrieval, or some other likely illegal practice against enemies of the United States.
Matt and Emily would have had to face any legal repercussions - such as execution - without any intervention from the United States, whereas official operatives would have some level of diplomatic immunity.
“Quick Reaction” refers to an undercover operative who is ready to infiltrate an operation at a moment’s notice. In Emily and Matt’s case, that meant staying in a hotel just miles away from the party and having prepared cover stories.“Non-Official cover” means they didn’t have legitimate positions in the United States government(viaTime). That essentially means if they were ever caught and charged with espionage, the U.S. government would deny any involvement with them. Matt and Emily would have had to face any legal repercussions - such as execution - without any intervention from the United States, whereas official operatives would have some level of diplomatic immunity.
What Matt & Emily’s Jobs Were After Secretly Leaving The CIA
After they left their lives as Quick Reaction Non-Official cover operatives, Matt and Emily settled into fairly normal lives with fairly normal jobs.As Emily told Chuck (Kyle Chandler), she made a living by selling custom puzzles on Etsy. Matt’s job is a bit harder to figure out, as he never explicitly mentioned what he did for work. He likely had an office job, but it’s possible that he’s a stay-at-home dad. Matt was only shown to be the coach for Alice’s soccer team, and he was also at home in the middle of a weekday when Chuck came to visit.
Where Was Back In Action Filmed? All Shooting Locations Explained
Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz went around the world in Back in Action, and the movie actually had a surprisingly varied list of filming locations.
While it doesn’t seem likely that Matt and Emily’s family could survive off a single stream of income from selling custom puzzles online, their previous job might factor into it.Emily and Matt likely made a fairly good salary as QRNs, and before they had children, they were likely able to save up quite a bit. Their combined savings, coupled with Emily’s profit from her Etsy business, may have been enough for Matt to be a full-time dad. Alternatively, Matt’s coaching job may be a paid position. In any case, Emily and Matt had very strange job histories inBack in Action.
Back in Action
Cast
Back in Action follows former CIA operatives Emily and Matt, who are thrust back into espionage years after retiring to raise a family. Released on June 18, 2025, the film unravels their return to the clandestine world when their identities are exposed.
