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 entrepreneur businesswoman
Years active	1992–present
Spouse(s)	Cash Warren ​ (m. 2008⁠–⁠2025)​
Partner(s)	Michael Weatherly (2000-2003)
Children	3
Relatives	Michael Warren (father-in-law)

Jessica Marie Alba (/ˈælbə/ AL-bə; born April 28, 1981) is an American actress and businesswoman. She started acting when she was 13 years old. Her first roles were in Camp Nowhere (1994) and The Secret World of Alex Mack (1994). She became very famous at age 19 as the main actress in the TV show Dark Angel (2000–2002). For this role, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

Jessica Alba's big break in movies came with Honey (2003). She became a well-known Hollywood actress. She has starred in many popular movies. These include Fantastic Four (2005), Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), and Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011). She often works with director Robert Rodriguez. From 2019 to 2020, Alba starred in the TV series L.A.'s Finest.

In 2011, Alba helped start The Honest Company. This company sells baby, personal, and home products. Many magazines have called her one of the world's most beautiful women.

Early Life and Health

Jessica Alba was born in Pomona, California. Her mother, Catherine, has European roots. Her father, Mark, is Mexican American. He has Indigenous Mexican, Spanish, and Mayan ancestors. Jessica has a younger brother named Joshua.

Because her father was in the Air Force, her family moved often. They lived in Biloxi, Mississippi and Del Rio, Texas. They moved back to California when she was nine. When she was young, Jessica was often sick. She had a collapsed lung twice. She also had pneumonia several times each year. She spent a lot of time in hospitals. This meant she didn't play much with other kids. Jessica has also shared that she had obsessive-compulsive disorder as a child. This condition bothered her less after her family moved to California. She finished high school when she was 16. After high school, she studied acting at the Atlantic Theater Company.

Acting Career

Starting Out: 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 contest. She won the top prize: free acting lessons. 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 when another actress left.

As a child, Alba appeared in TV ads for Nintendo and J. C. Penney. She also acted in some independent films. In 1994, she had a recurring role on the Nickelodeon show The Secret World of Alex Mack. She played the character Jessica in three episodes. Then, she played Maya in the first two seasons of Flipper (1995). Jessica learned to swim 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 the crime show Brooklyn South. She also had roles in 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 studied acting with William H. Macy. She also learned from 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 played the main female role in the comedy horror film Idle Hands.

Becoming Famous: 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. Max was a super-soldier in the FOX sci-fi TV series Dark Angel. The show ran for two seasons until 2002. Alba received praise for her role. She was nominated for a Golden Globe. She also won a Teen Choice Award and a Saturn Award. Her character, Max, is seen as a strong female character. She is a symbol of female empowerment. Max was ranked #17 on TV Guide's list of "25 Greatest Sci-Fi Legends."

Her role in Dark Angel led to important movie parts. She had her first big movie success in 2003. She starred as an aspiring dancer in Honey. The movie made US$62.2 million worldwide.

Alba then played Nancy Callahan in the crime film 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. Jessica had not heard of the graphic novel before. But she was excited to work with Rodriguez. 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 (2005). The movie was a big success. It made 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. She played one half of a couple who find trouble after finding illegal cargo. The movie did well at the box office. She also hosted the 2006 MTV Movie Awards.

Romantic Comedies and More: 2007–2010

Alba played Invisible Woman again in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, released in June 2007. In 2007, Alba also appeared in Good Luck Chuck. This film made 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 made US$32.7 million.

In February 2008, she hosted the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Science and Technical Awards. Alba then starred in the horror film The Eye. She played a violinist who gets an eye transplant. This allows her to see into a supernatural world. She was nominated for a Teen Choice Award for this role. In 2008, she also played a salesgirl in Meet Bill. She starred in the comedy The Love Guru with Mike Myers.

Alba in 2010

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

The drama An Invisible Sign of My Own premiered in 2010. Her last movie of 2010 was the comedy Little Fockers. This film made over US$310 million worldwide. For her 2010 roles, she received a Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress.

Action and Independent Films: 2011–Present

In 2011, Alba worked with Robert Rodriguez for the third time. This was for the film Spy Kids: All the Time in the World. She played a retired spy who returns to action. The film was a moderate success, making US$85 million. Alba then appeared in the comedy A.C.O.D. (2013). In 2013, Alba also voiced a character in the animated film Escape from Planet Earth.

Alba worked with director Rodriguez again for two movie sequels. She had a small role in Machete Kills (2013). She also played Nancy Callahan again in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014). This movie did not do as well as the first Sin City. She then took on roles in Dear Eleanor (2014), Some Kind of Beautiful (2014), Stretch (2014), Barely Lethal (2015), and The Veil (2016). These films were released in limited theaters or for online viewing.

In the action film Mechanic: Resurrection (2016), Alba played the girlfriend of a retired hitman. She trained in Krav Maga for the role. She liked that her character was strong and tough. The film made US$125.7 million worldwide.

She will also star in and produce a new documentary series for Disney+. It is called Parenting Without Borders (working title). It will focus on families around the world.

Other Ventures

The Honest Company

In January 2012, Jessica Alba and her business partner Christopher Gavigan started The Honest Company. This company sells baby, personal, and household 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. The book shares her experiences creating a natural, non-toxic life for her family. It became a New York Times Best Seller. In October 2015, Alba launched Honest Beauty. This is a collection of skin care and beauty products.

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

Charity and Activism

Alba has used her fame to support important causes. She posed for a campaign called Declare Yourself. This campaign encouraged young people to register to vote for the 2008 United States presidential election. The ads got a lot of attention. Alba said it was important for young people to get involved in politics.

Alba supported Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama in 2008 and Hillary Clinton later.

Alba in 2009

In June 2009, while filming in Oklahoma City, Alba was involved in a small issue. She put up posters of sharks around town. She said she wanted to bring attention to the decreasing number of great white sharks. Some people thought she might be charged with vandalism. But the police did not pursue charges. Alba apologized in a statement. She also donated money to the United Way.

In 2011, Alba went to Washington D.C. to support the Safe Chemicals Act. This act aimed to update a law about toxic substances. She returned in 2015 to lobby lawmakers 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. She tweeted "#equality #love".

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 Project HOME. She is an ambassador for the 1Goal movement. This movement helps provide education to children in Africa. She also helps Baby2Baby by donating and giving items like diapers to families in Los Angeles.

In 2015, Alba and The Honest Company helped fund a lab at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. This lab researches connections between household chemicals and autism.

Personal Life

While filming Dark Angel in 2000, Alba started a relationship with her co-star Michael Weatherly. They were together for three years. They ended their relationship in 2003.

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

In 2014, Alba appeared on the TV show Finding Your Roots. On the show, she learned about her family history. Her family's roots were traced back to the ancient Maya civilization.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music Videos

Video Games

Awards and Recognition

See also

In Spanish: Jessica Alba para niños