Jessica Marie Alba (born April 28, 1981) is a American actress whose TV and film credits include Dark Angel, Honey, Sin City, Fantastic Four, Into the Blue, Idle Hands and 2007's Good Luck Chuck. Alba rose to prominence following the television series Dark Angel, then expanding her résumé to film, predominantly within the confines of action and comedy. Alba appears frequently on the "Hot 100" section of Maxim, and was voted AskMen.com's No. 1 on their list of "99 Most Desirable Women" in 2006, as well as "Sexiest Woman in the World" in FHM in 2007.

Early life and family

Alba was born in Pomona, California, the daughter of Catherine (née Jensen), who is Danish American on her father's side and French American on her mother's side, and Mark Alba, who is Mexican American (though both of his parents were born in California).[1] Alba's parents married while in their teenage years.[2][3][4] Her maternal grandfather was a Marine NCO for 30 years, serving in the Pacific during WWII, and later as Asst. Drum Major for the United States Marine Band. Alba was raised in an Air Force family, along with her brother, Joshua[5] and her grandparents, until she was seventeen years old. Her father's Air Force career took the family to Biloxi, Mississippi and Del Rio, Texas, before they settled back in California.

Alba's early life was marked by a multitude of physical maladies; she suffered collapsed lungs twice, had pneumonia 4-5 times a year, a ruptured appendix, and a cyst on her tonsils. This isolated her from other children at school because, as she claims, she was in the hospital so often that no one knew her well enough to befriend her.[6]

She has also acknowledged suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder during childhood.[7][8] Her health improved, however, when her family moved to California. She graduated from high school at age 16,[9] and subsequently attended the Atlantic Theater Company.

Early Career

Alba had expressed interest in acting since the age of five. She took her first acting class at age twelve, and an acting agent signed her nine months later.[10]

Her first appearance on film was a small role in the 1994 feature Camp Nowhere as Gail. She was originally hired for two weeks but her role turned into a two-month job when the actress in one of the prominent roles dropped out.

Alba appeared in two national TV commercials for Nintendo and J.C. Penney as a child. She was later featured in several independent films. She branched out into TV in 1994 with a recurring role as the vain Jessica in three episodes of the Nickelodeon comedy series The Secret World of Alex Mack. She then performed the role of Maya in the first two seasons of the TV series Flipper. Under the tutelage of her lifeguard mother, Alba learned to swim before she could walk, and she was a PADI-certified scuba diver, skills which were put to use on the show, which was filmed in Australia.

In 1998, she appeared as Melissa Hauer in a first-season episode of the Steven Bochco crime-drama Brooklyn South, as Leanne in two episodes of Beverly Hills 90210 and as Layla in an episode of The Love Boat: The Next Wave. In 1999, she appeared in the Randy Quaid comedy feature P.U.N.K.S.. After graduating from high school, Alba studied acting with William H. Macy and his wife, Felicity Huffman, at the Atlantic Theater Company, which was developed by Macy and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and film director, David Mamet.

Alba rose to greater prominence in Hollywood in 1999 after appearing as a member of a snobby high school clique in the Drew Barrymore romantic comedy Never Been Kissed, and as the female lead in the 1999 comedy-horror film Idle Hands, opposite Devon Sawa.

Her big break came when writer/director James Cameron picked Alba from a pool of 1,200 candidates for the role of the genetically-engineered super-soldier, Max Guevara, on the FOX sci-fi TV series Dark Angel. Co-created by Cameron, the series starred Alba, and ran for two seasons until 2002, earning her critical acclaim as well as a Golden-Globe nomination.

During preparation for Dark Angel, in which Alba trained for three hours every day, the actress began to starve herself and became obsessed with exercise, going on to say, "A lot of girls have eating disorders and I did too. I got obsessed with it." Alba recalls coming to a realization that she had a problem when she dropped to just 100 lbs and cites her natural introduction to puberty and her development of womanly curves as two things that caused her "concern" regarding her aesthetics. Alba, who also suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder and panic attacks, says she has been cooking for herself since the age of twelve, in fear she will end up as fat as her family members.[11]

Film Career

Since then her most notable roles have included an aspiring dancer-choreographer in Honey, exotic dancer Nancy Callahan in Sin City and as the classic Marvel Comics character Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman in the Fantastic Four. Jessica went on to host the 2006 MTV Movie Awards and performed sketches spoofing the movies King Kong, Mission Impossible 3, and The Da Vinci Code. Alba's pending projects include The Eye (a remake of the Hong Kong original) and Sisters, alongside Eliska Amor and Paz Vega.[12][13]

Reception

Cover of the March 2006 issue of Playboy magazine. Alba objected to being on the cover of the magazine and filed suit, but later dropped the action.In 2006, readers of Askmen.com voted Alba No. 1 on 99 Most Desirable Women,[14] while in 2007, Maxim Magazine placed Alba on the number 2 spot of their "Top 100", after Lindsay Lohan.[15] Both GQ and In Style had Alba on their June covers,[16][17] and in May, after eight million votes, FHM (UK and USA editions) named Alba the winner as "2007’s Sexiest Woman in the World".[18]

Alba has received successful public reception in popular culture. In 2001 Alba received a Teen Choice Award for Choice Actress for her role in Dark Angel. In 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007, Alba appeared on Maxim's Hot 100 list. In 2006, Alba received an MTV Movie Award for "Sexiest Performance" for Sin City. In 2007, Alba received the Spike TV Guys' Choice Award for "Hottest Jessica".[19]

On the cover of the March 2006 issue, Playboy magazine named Alba among its 25 Sexiest Celebrities, and the Sex Star of the Year. Alba was involved in litigation against Playboy for its use of her image (from a promotional shot for Into the Blue) without her consent, which she contends gave the appearance that she was featured in the issue in a "nude pictorial". However, she later dropped the lawsuit after receiving a personal apology from Playboy owner Hugh Hefner, who agreed to make donations to two charities that Alba has supported.[20]

Alba fears being typecast as a sex kitten based on the bulk of parts offered to her.[21] "Somehow, I don't think this is happening to Natalie Portman," laments Alba. In the interview, Alba says she wants to be taken seriously as an actress but believes she needs to do movies that she would otherwise not be interested in to build her career, stating that eventually she hopes to be more selective in her film projects.

Charity

Alba's charity work includes participation with Clothes Off Our Back, Habitat for Humanity, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Project HOME, RADD, Revlon Run/Walk for Women, SOS Children Villages, Soles4Souls, and Step up.[22]

Personal life

Alba was raised Catholic and still considers herself "spiritual".[2] In her adolescence, she became a born-again Christian,[23] but left the church after four years because she felt she was being judged for her appearance, explaining:

“ Older men would hit on me, and my youth pastor said it was because I was wearing provocative clothing, when I wasn't. It just made me feel like if I was in any way desirable to the opposite sex that it was my fault, and it made me ashamed of my body and being a woman. ”

Alba also had objections to the church's condemnations of premarital sex and homosexuality, and the lack of strong female role models in the Bible, explaining:

“ I thought it was a nice guide, but it certainly wasn't how I was going to live my life.[3] ”

As the daughter of religiously conservative parents, Alba, whose grandparents did not allow her to wear a bathing suit around the house, maintains a no-nudity clause in her contract, though she has claimed she had been open to the possibility of appearing nude in Sin City. She remarked of a GQ shoot in which she was scantily clad, "They didn't want me to wear the granny panties, but I said, 'If I'm gonna be topless I need to wear granny panties' ".[24]

Alba was given the option to appear nude by the film's directors, Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez, but declined the offer saying, "I don't do nudity. I just don't. Maybe that makes me a bad actress. Maybe I won't get hired in some things. But I have too much anxiety".[3]

Of her mixed heritage, and perceptions of her ethnicity, Alba has said:

“ I've got cousins galore. Mexicans just spread all their seeds. And the women just pop them out. My grandfather was the only Mexican at his college, the only Hispanic person at work and the only one at the all-white country club. He tried to forget his Mexican roots, because he never wanted his kids to be made to feel different in America. He and my grandmother didn't speak Spanish to their children. Now, as a third-generation American, I feel as if I have finally cut loose. My whole life, when I was growing up, not one race has ever accepted me, ... So I never felt connected or attached to any race specifically. I had a very American upbringing, I feel American, and I don't speak Spanish. So, to say that I'm a Latin actress, OK, but it's not fitting; it would be insincere. My grandfather was the only one in our family to go to college. He made a choice not to speak Spanish in the house. He didn't want his kids to be different. [Before] I always felt like such an outcast and now I feel like people are more diverse ethnically. I was always [self-conscious] of my puffy lips and darker skin when I was a kid, because I felt like I didn't fit in. And now its mainstream, and color isn't as big of a deal and if anything, it's better.[1]

Relationships

While filming Dark Angel, Alba began a four year romance with fellow castmate Michael Weatherly, which caused controversy due to their 12 year age gap.[25] He proposed to her on her 20th birthday.[26] They eventually broke up after a four-year relationship. In July 2007, Jessica spoke out about the break up. "I don't know [why I got engaged]. I was a virgin. He was 12 years older than me. I thought he knew better. My parents weren't happy. They're really religious. They believe God wouldn't allow The Bible to be written if it wasn't what they are supposed to be believe. I'm completely different."[27]

Alba had at one time said she envisioned a much older man as her ideal partner, making references to Morgan Freeman, Sean Connery, Robert Redford, and Michael Caine. "I have this thing for older men. They've been around and know so much."[28] Regarding children, Alba said, "I'm really girly when it comes to kids. I've been surrounded by kids my whole life because I'm the oldest of 15 cousins — I've been changing diapers since I was six. I want to have a couple, for sure".[29]

Alba is engaged to Cash Warren (son of actor Michael Warren), whom she met while making Fantastic Four in 2004.[30][31] They are expecting their first child in early spring or summer of 2008.[32][33]

Awards and nominations

Teen Choice Awards

Won: TV - Choice Actress, Dark Angel (2001) Nominated: TV - Choice Actress, Drama, Dark Angel (2002) Nominated: Choice Movie Liplock, Honey (2004, Shared with Mekhi Phifer) Nominated: Choice Movie Chemistry, Honey (2004, Shared with Mekhi Phifer) Nominated: Choice Movie Actress - Drama/Action Adventure, Honey (2004) Nominated: Choice Breakout Movie Star - Female, Honey (2004) Nominated: Choice Movie Actress: Action/Adventure/Thriller, Sin City (2005) Nominated: Movies - Choice Actress: Drama/Action Adventure, Fantastic Four (2006) Nominated: Choice Movie: Hissy Fit, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) Nominated: Choice Movie Actress: Action Adventure, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

ALMA Awards

Nominated: Outstanding Actress in a New Television Series, Dark Angel (2001) Won: Breakthrough Actress of the Year (2001) Nominated: Outstanding Actress in a Television Series, Dark Angel (2002) Nominated: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, Sin City (2006)

Saturn Awards

Won: Best Actress on Television, Dark Angel (2001) Nominated: Best Actress in a Television Series, Dark Angel (2002) Nominated: Best Supporting Actress, Sin City (2006)

Razzie Awards

Nominated: Worst Actress, Fantastic Four (2006) Nominated: Worst Actress, Into the Blue (2006)

DVD Exclusive Awards

Won: Best Actress in a DVD Premiere Movie, The Sleeping Dictionary (2003)

Golden Globes

Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a TV-Series - Drama, Dark Angel (2001)

Imagen Foundation Awards

Nominated: Best Actress, Fantastic Four (2006)

Young Artists Awards

Nominated: est Performance in a TV Drama Series - Leading Young Actress, Dark Angel (2001)

TV Land Awards

Nominated: Little Screen/Big Screen Star (Women) (2007)

TV Guide Awards

Nominated: Actress of the Year in a New Series, Dark Angel (2001) Won: Breakout Star of the Year, Dark Angel (2001)

Spike TV Guys' Choice Awards

Won: Hottest Jessica (2007)

Young Hollywood Awards

Won: Superstar of Tomorrow (2005)

YoungStar Awards

Nominated: Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Daytime TV Program, Flipper (1998)

References
1.^ a b Jessica Alba: Don't Call Me A Latina!!. MediaTakeout.com (2007-06-17). Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
2.^ a b Lipworth, Elaine (2007-06-09). Jessica Alba and her ambitious quest to be the next Tom Cruise. Daily Mail. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
3.^ a b c Itzkoff, Dave. Jessica Alba - ELLE. Elle.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
4.^ "A-list Alba is a real supergirl", Burnham & Highbridge Weekly News, 2007-06-14. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
5.^ Joshua appeared with his sister Jessica in the season one finale of Dark Angel -- Joshua Alba at the Internet Movie Database
6.^ (2005-10-03) "". OK! magazine: pp.34-39. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
7.^ Cullen, Denise (2007-08-19). My obsession (Reprint from Sunday Telegraph). News.au.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
8.^ Interview on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; September 26, 2005
9.^ Jessica Alba graduated from high school at 16. Netglimse.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-02.
10.^ Hollywood Life magazine; September/October 2005 pp. 44 – 49; 106.
11.^ "Jessica Alba's anorexic hell"; askmen.com; July 27, 2005.
12.^ TV.com Eliska Amor, Jessica Alba, Paz Vega: Sizzling SistersRetrieved October 2 2007
13.^ PazVega.org Alba, Amor and Vega spread a little Sisterly LoveRetrieved November 2 2007
14.^ AskMen.com - Jessica Alba.
15.^ Maxim Top 100 for 2007
16.^ GQ: The Jessica Alba Video
17.^ In Style 6/2007
18.^ FHM 2007’s Sexiest Woman
19.^ Casey, Jordan; "Spike TV Holds First Annual Guys Choice Awards Show"; Allheadlinenews.com; June 11, 2007.
20.^ Silverman, Stephen M. Playboy Apologizes to Jessica Alba. People Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-07-31.
21.^ "Alba Fears Whore Typecast"; WENN November 9, 2005.
22.^ Celebrity Charity Jessica Alba's Charity Work Retrieved November 2, 2007
23.^ Gardetta, Dave; "The Sinner"; GQ magazine; April 2005.
24.^ "Alba Turns Her Back on Christian Pals Who Made Her Feel Ashamed"; Contactmusic.com; March 23, 2005.
25.^ Dark Angel Lovers Defend Relationship Acessed 2007-12-29.
26.^ Jessica Alba busts and gets busted (2001) Acessed 2007-12-29.
27.^ Jessica Alba's Parental Relationship Was Strained By Engagement Acessed 2007-12-29.
28.^ Jessica Alba: Older men are ideal partners
29.^ Alba: 'I want to have lots of kids'
30.^ Julie Jordan (December 27, 2007). Jessica Alba Engaged!. People Accessed 2007-12-28.
31.^ Natalie Finn (December 27, 2007). Jessica Alba Cashes in on Engagement. E! Online. Accessed 2007-12-28.
32.^ "Jessica Alba Pregnant With Cash Warren Child", The Post Chronicle, 2007-12-12. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
33.^ Sarah Hall. "Jessica Alba's a Mama-to-Be", E Online, 2007-12-12. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.