Jessica Alba facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jessica Alba
Alba in 2024 at the White House
Born	Jessica Marie Alba (1981-04-28) April 28, 1981 (age 44) Pomona, California, U.S.
Other names	Jessica Warren
Occupation	Actress businesswoman
Years active	1992–present
Spouse(s)	Cash Warren ​ ​ (m. 2008; sep 2025)​
Partner(s)	Michael Weatherly (2000–2003)
Children	3
Relatives	Michael Warren (father-in-law)

Jessica Marie Alba (born April 28, 1981) is an American actress and businesswoman. She started acting at age 13 in Camp Nowhere and The Secret World of Alex Mack (both 1994). She became well-known at 19 as the main actress in the TV series Dark Angel (2000–2002). For this role, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

Her big movie break came in Honey (2003). She became a popular Hollywood actress. She has starred in many successful movies. These include Fantastic Four (2005), Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), Good Luck Chuck (2007), The Eye (2008), Valentine's Day (2010), Little Fockers (2010), and Mechanic: Resurrection (2016). She often works with director Robert Rodriguez. They made movies like Sin City (2005), Machete (2010), Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011), Machete Kills (2013), and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014). From 2019 to 2020, Alba starred in the action crime series L.A.'s Finest.

In 2011, Alba helped start The Honest Company. This company sells baby, personal, and home products. It is based in Los Angeles. In February 2022, the company was worth about $550 million. Many magazines, like Men's Health and Vanity Fair, have called Alba one of the world's most beautiful women.

Jessica Alba's Early Life

Jessica Marie Alba was born in Pomona, California, on April 28, 1981. Her parents are Catherine Louisa and Mark David Alba. Her mother has European roots, while her father's grandparents were children of Mexican immigrants. Jessica has a younger brother named Joshua. Her family moved often because of her father's Air Force job. They lived in Biloxi, Mississippi, and Del Rio, Texas. They finally settled in Claremont, California, when she was nine.

When she was a child, Jessica was often sick. She had pneumonia several times a year. She also had partially collapsed lungs and other health issues. Because she was in the hospital so much, it was hard for her to make friends at school. Moving often also made it difficult to connect with other kids. She finished high school at age 16. After that, she studied acting at the Atlantic Theater Company.

Jessica Alba's Acting Career

Starting Out in Acting (1992–1999)

Alba in 2007

Jessica Alba wanted to be an actress from age five. In 1992, when she was eleven, she convinced her mom to take her to an acting competition. She won the top prize, which was free acting classes. An agent signed her nine months later. Her first movie role was a small part in Camp Nowhere (1994). She was supposed to work for two weeks, but her role grew to two months. This happened when another actress left the movie.

As a child, Alba appeared in TV commercials for Nintendo and J. C. Penney. She also acted in some independent films. In 1994, she had a recurring role as Jessica in three episodes of the Nickelodeon comedy series The Secret World of Alex Mack. Then, she played Maya in the first two seasons of the 1995 TV series Flipper. Jessica learned to swim very early. Her lifeguard mother taught her before she could walk. She was also a certified scuba diver. These skills were useful for Flipper, which was filmed in Australia.

In 1998, she appeared in TV shows like Brooklyn South, Beverly Hills, 90210, and Love Boat: The Next Wave. In 1999, she was in the comedy movie P.U.N.K.S.. After high school, she continued to study acting. She learned from William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman at the Atlantic Theater Company. Alba became more known in Hollywood in 1999. She was in the romantic comedy Never Been Kissed with Drew Barrymore. She also had a main role in the comedy horror film Idle Hands.

Becoming Famous Worldwide (2000–2006)

Jessica Alba's big break came when James Cameron chose her. She was picked from over 1000 people for the role of Max Guevara. This was a genetically engineered super-soldier in the FOX sci-fi TV series Dark Angel. The show ran for two seasons until 2002. Alba received much praise for her role. She earned a Golden Globe nomination, a Teen Choice Award, and a Saturn Award. Her character, Max, is seen as a strong female character. Max was ranked #17 in TV Guide's list of "25 Greatest Sci-Fi Legends" in 2004.

Her role in Dark Angel led to important movie parts. She had her big movie breakthrough in 2003. She starred as an aspiring dancer in Honey. The movie was made for US$18 million and earned US$62.2 million.

Alba then played Nancy Callahan in Sin City (2005). This movie was directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller. It was based on Miller's graphic novel of the same name. The film was very popular and earned US$158.8 million.

Alba at a screening for The Eye (2008)

Alba played the Marvel Comics character Invisible Woman in Fantastic Four (also 2005). She starred alongside Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis. The movie was a big success, earning US$333.5 million worldwide. At the 2006 MTV Movie Awards, Alba was nominated for Best Hero. Her last movie in 2005 was the thriller Into the Blue. In this film, she played one half of a couple who find trouble after finding illegal cargo. The movie earned US$44.4 million worldwide. She hosted the 2006 MTV Movie Awards and performed funny skits.

Romantic Comedies and More (2007–2010)

Alba played her role again in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, released in June 2007. The film earned US$290 million globally.

In Good Luck Chuck (also 2007), Alba played the love interest of a dentist. The movie earned almost US$60 million. Her third movie in 2007 was the thriller Awake. She played the girlfriend of a rich man needing a heart transplant. The film earned US$32.7 million.

In February 2008, she hosted the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Science and Technical Awards. Alba then acted in the horror film The Eye. This was a remake of a Hong Kong movie. She played a violinist who gets an eye transplant and can see supernatural things. She was nominated for a Teen Choice for Choice Movie Actress: Horror–Thriller. In 2008, she also played a salesgirl in the romantic comedy Meet Bill. She starred in the comedy The Love Guru, playing a woman who inherits a hockey team. The Love Guru was not a success.

Alba in 2010

Alba did not have any movies released in 2009. However, five major films featuring her came out in 2010. Her first role that year was in The Killer Inside Me. This movie was based on a book. Her next film was the romantic comedy Valentine's Day. She played the girlfriend of a florist. The film was a commercial success, earning US$216.5 million worldwide. In the action film Machete, Alba worked again with director Robert Rodriguez. She played an immigration officer. Machete earned over US$44 million globally.

The drama An Invisible Sign of My Own, which Alba filmed in late 2008, premiered at a film festival. Her last 2010 film was the comedy Little Fockers. The film earned over US$310 million worldwide.

Action and Independent Films (2011–Present)

In 2011, Alba worked with Robert Rodriguez for the third time in Spy Kids: All the Time in the World. She played a retired spy called back to action. The film earned US$85 million globally. Alba then appeared in the comedy A.C.O.D. (2013). She played a "child of divorce" character. In 2013, Alba also did her first voice acting role in the animated film Escape from Planet Earth.

Alba worked with director Rodriguez again for two movie sequels. She had a small role as an Immigration Officer in Machete Kills (2013). She also had a much larger role as Nancy Callahan in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, released in August 2014. This film was not a commercial success. She then played a cabaret performer in Dear Eleanor (2014). She was also in the romantic comedy Some Kind of Beautiful (2014). Other roles included a receptionist in Stretch (2014), a weapons trafficker in Barely Lethal (2015), and a documentary filmmaker in The Veil (2016). These films had limited releases.

In the action film Mechanic: Resurrection (2016), Alba played the girlfriend of a retired hitman. She learned Krav Maga for the role. She liked that her character was strong and could "kick butt." The film earned US$125.7 million worldwide.

In 2020, it was announced that Alba would star in and produce a new documentary series for Disney+. The show, called Parenting Without Borders, would focus on families around the world. However, it was never released.

Other Projects

The Honest Company

In January 2012, Jessica Alba and her business partner Christopher Gavigan started The Honest Company. This company sells household goods, diapers, and body care products. The company became very successful. By 2014, it was valued at US$1 billion.

In early 2013, Alba released her book, The Honest Life. It was based on her experiences creating a natural, non-toxic life for her family. The book became a New York Times Best Seller. In October 2015, Alba launched a line of skin care and beauty products called Honest Beauty.

As of April 2022, Alba owned 6.5 percent of the company. She worked as the company's chief creative officer. She stepped down from this role in April 2024.

Helping Others and Activism

Alba has supported various causes. She posed for an ad campaign by Declare Yourself. This campaign encouraged young people to register to vote for the 2008 United States presidential election. Alba said it was important for young people to be active in politics. She also supported Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

In June 2009, while filming in Oklahoma City, Alba put up posters of sharks. She wanted to bring attention to the decreasing number of great white sharks. She later apologized for her actions and donated money to the United Way.

In 2011, Alba went to Washington D.C. to support the Safe Chemicals Act. This law aimed to update rules about chemicals. She returned in 2015 to talk to lawmakers about it again. She has also strongly supported gay rights. On June 27, 2013, she shared her happiness on Twitter when the Supreme Court made a decision supporting equality.

Alba has done a lot of charity work. She has worked with Clothes Off Our Back, Habitat for Humanity, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and many other groups. She is an ambassador for the 1Goal movement, which helps provide education to children in Africa. She also helps Baby2Baby, donating and giving items like diapers to families in Los Angeles.

In 2015, Alba and The Honest Company sponsored a lab at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. This lab was designed to research links between household chemicals and certain health conditions.

Jessica Alba's Personal Life

Jessica Alba was raised Catholic. She later moved away from organized religion. She felt judged for her appearance. She also disagreed with some church teachings. However, she has stated that she still believes in God.

While filming Dark Angel in 2000, Alba started a relationship with her co-star Michael Weatherly. They were together for three years and got engaged. In August 2003, they announced they had ended their relationship.

Alba met Cash Warren, the son of actor Michael Warren, in 2004. They met while filming Fantastic Four. They got married in Los Angeles in May 2008. They have three children: two daughters, Honor Marie (born June 2008) and Haven Garner (born August 2011), and a son, Hayes (born December 2017). On January 16, 2025, Alba announced that they had separated.

In 2014, Alba appeared on the show Finding Your Roots. She learned about her family history. Her family's roots were traced back to the ancient Maya civilization. The show found that her father's family line was Indigenous American. Her mother's family line was Jewish. The research showed that lawyer Alan Dershowitz is a genetic relative of hers.

Jessica Alba's Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Music Videos

Video Games

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Jessica Alba para niños