Jessica Alba Biography
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Birth name - Jessica Marie Alba
Date of birth - April 28, 1981
Pomona, California, USA
Sometimes Credited As: Jessica Marie Alba
Nickname - Sky Angel
Height - 5' 6½" (1.69 m)
Jessica Alba photo gallery
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Born in Pomona, California, on April 28, 1981, Jessica Alba and her family moved to Biloxi, Mississippi, when she was an infant. Three years later, her Air Force father brought the family back to California, then to Del Rio, Texas, before finally settling in Southern California when Jessica was nine. In love with the idea of becoming an actress from the age of five, she was 12 before she took her first acting class. Nine months later she was signed by an agent. A gifted young actress, Jessica has already played a variety of roles ranging from light comedy to gritty drama since beginning her career. She made her feature film debut in 1993 in Hollywood Pictures' comedy Camp Nowhere (1994). Originally hired for two weeks, she got her break when an actress in a principal role suddenly dropped out. Jessica cheerfully admits it wasn't her prodigious talent or charm that inspired the director to tap her to take over the part--it was her hair, which matched the original performer's. The two-week job stretched to two months, and Jessica ended the film with an impressive first credit. Two national TV commercials for Nintendo and J.C. Penney quickly followed before Jessica was featured in several independent films. She branched out into TV in 1994 with a recurring role in Nickelodeon's popular comedy series "The Secret World of Alex Mack" (1994). She played an insufferable young snob, devoted to making life miserable for the the title character, played by Larisa Oleynik. That same year she won the role of Maya in "Flipper" (1995) and filmed the pilot for the series. She spent 1995 shooting the first season's episodes in Australia. An avid swimmer and PADI-certified scuba diver, Jessica was delighted to be doing a show that allowed her to play with dolphins. The show's success guaranteed it a second season, which she also starred in. Her involvement in the show lasted from 1995 to 1997. Since the show ended, Jessica has appeared in a number of television shows and movies. In 1996 she appeared in Venus Rising (1995) as Young Eve. In 1997 she appeared on the "The Dini Petty Show" (1989), a Canadian talk show, and spoke about her role in "Flipper" and her general acting career. She began working on P.U.N.K.S. (1999), featuring Randy Quaid, in 1998. In early 1998 she appeared in "Brooklyn South" (1997), as Melissa. The same year she was in two episodes of "Beverly Hills, 90210" (1990) as Leanne and in two episodes of "The Love Boat: The Next Wave" (1998). She appeared in "Teen Magazine" in 1995 and various European magazines in the following several years. More importantly, she was featured in the February 1999, issue of "Vanity Fair". She also had major roles in two movies that year: Never Been Kissed (1999) and Idle Hands (1999). In 2000 she had roles in Paranoid (2000/I) and _Dark Angel (2000) (TV)_ .
More Interesting Information for Jessica Alba
Sister of Joshua Alba
Was #1 on Maxim's Hot 100 Babe List. [2001]
Her father is Mexican, her mother is of French and Danish descent.
Was voted the fifth Sexiest Female Star for 2002 in a Hollywood.com poll. Also, formerly engaged to Michael Weatherly. [February 2002]
Her show "Dark Angel" (2000) was canceled after two seasons on Fox.
Vote #4 in the Top 10 Sci-Fi Babes in 2002 for her role as Max in "Dark Angel" (2000).
Loves to play golf.
Started training in dance and Tae Bo two months prior to the start of scheduled filming on _Honey (2003)_ . [July 2002]
Voted in at #6 in FHM's Sexiest Girls of 2002 poll, American edition. [June 2002]
Graduated high school at age 16.
Has a tatoo of a daisy with a ladybug on it on the back of her neck.
Her second cousin is skateboarding legend Steve "Salba" Alba.
Broke off her long engagement to co-star Michael Weatherly ("Dark Angel" (2000)) in 2003 but has reconciled recently.
She co-starred in one epidode of "Dark Angel" (2000) with her brother, Joshua Alba, entitled "...And Jesus Brought a Casserole." He played, Krit, one of her X-5 brothers who wanted to help destroy Manticore in the Season 1 finale.
Engaged to "Dark Angel" (2000) costar Michael Weatherly. [May 2001]
Mentioned in the D12 song "My Band".
Was "Punk'd" (2003) on the Ashton Kutcher-hosted MTV show in 2003. Dax Shepard showed up fully nude at a clothing store Jessica was patronizing, following Miss Alba around the store and exposing his "business" to the blushing actress as she tried to shop for clothes. Jessica was a good sport after being informed it was all a practical joke, taped for the popular hidden-camera show.
Though it is common for actresses and female pop stars to strip down to various states of undress for magazine layouts and movie/TV scenes, she has stated that she is a very modest girl and would never do a nude scene or pose topless in a magazine. She has posed for men's magazines fully dressed, however.
Ranked #12 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World" (2002).
Said once in an interview that she began preparing her own meals as a child to control her weight and maintain her health. She said the food her family prepared led to weight problems for them, so she avoided that.
After graduating from high school, she studied with William H. Macy and his wife, Felicity Huffman, at David Mamet's Atlantic Theater Company.
Named one of "50 Most Beautiful People" by People Magazine. [2005]
Had asthma as a child.
She wanted to become an actress at the age of five.
Became anorexic the same year she had a kidney infection (2001).
Measurements: 34-24-34 according to an interview with Rolling Stone magazine
Has two pug dogs named Nancy (after her character in Sin City 2005) and Sid.
Named #5 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2005 list.
Shares birthday with director Danilo Beckovic.
Ranked #3 on E! Television's 2006 101 Sexiest Celebrity Bodies
Shares a birthday with Penélope Cruz.
She and Hayden Christensen visited Bellevue hospital and spent time with little children, bringing them Christmas cheer while filming "Awake".
Ranked and Voted #1 by AskMen.com's Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2006
Sued Playboy Magazine for using her picture on the cover of the March 2006 issue without her permission. She said it mislad people to believe she appeared nude in the magazine, which she did not.
Personal quotes from Jessica Alba
"I'm really good at being sarcastic with guys. That's the best way to hang out with them, because that's what guys like. They don't want the quiet, prissy little things."
"I like Spongebob Squarepants. He's goofy, like me."
I just don't have a great feeling about what we're doing in Iraq. I don't know why we're there. Didn't we just give the power back over there? Why are we still there? [July 2004]
"My father is Mexican and very dark; my mother is very fair. I used to always get [script] breakdowns for things like Maria, the janitor's daughter who hangs around with white kids. I was born in the United States. I never thought about it until the industry made me think about being a Latin girl. It seemed like such a bizarre thing." (commenting on racial stereotyping).
"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."
"Men are much bigger divas than women. When I used to do the action scenes in Dark Angel, I would have to play it rough. If you hit an actress accidentally, she would usually take it on the chin and say, `Don't do that again.' But with the guys, they would put ice on it, take a 20-minute break and ask for x-rays. It was unbelievable. I would tell them, `Come on, man, get over it.' That's actors for you."
"There is always an unspoken problem about casting Latina actresses. I have heard Jennifer Lopez talk about how it was for her, always being up for the role of the Latina chick."
"What happens when the looks fade?. If I don't establish myself as someone who can act a part rather than look the part, I will soon be finished."
"I love listening to Coldplay. But sometimes I listen to it too much and it depresses me. I call it a 'reflective' mood."
"One of the reasons why I chose not to be a devout Christian is because a lot of people gave me a lot of grief for just being a woman and made me feel ashamed for having a body because it tempted men."
"The most important thing I have learned in life was that being a teenager wasn't forever. I had a hard time being a teenager."
"I don't hang out with the Hollywood cool people. I'm not out trying to make friends with people because they're famous."
"I have my own spiritual thing, but am not part of an organized religion. I think religion is very special and individual to each person."
"I don't need to be in the press or seen. Just because I'm not in magazines or because I'm not in a movie doesn't mean I'm going away. It just means I have some sense of integrity."
"Living in L.A., everyone likes to mold you and change you. I don't care about fame, I don't care about being a celebrity. I know that's part of the job, but I don't feed into anyone's idea of who I should be."
'I used to come to Beverly Hills for auditions as a kid and think, "Why don't I live here? Why don't I drive that car?"'
'I wasn't given a whole lot in my life. I was on the bottom of the class system. But I got wisdom. I never just did what people told me. I questioned everything. When I look back, it is really no surprise that I started working at 12.'
'From a very early age, I remember thinking that adults were always acting like assholes. I couldn't understand why I had to respect them. My pre-school teacher forced me to write right-handed when I was left-handed. I didn't get why I had to change. Nobody could give me a reason. I have had a big problem with authority ever since.'
On being raised by young parents: 'We all grew up together. My parents were so young. My dad hates it when I talk about our past, about not having things, living with Grandma, wearing thrift-store clothes, cutting coupons.'
On learning Spanish: 'I have a great accent because I grew up hearing it in the neighbourhood. But I have no idea what I'm saying.'
On growing up in L.A.: 'I never really belonged anywhere. I wasn't white. I was shunned by the Latin community for not being Latin enough. 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.'
'It's not always so great to be objectified but I don't feel I have much of a choice right now. I'm young in my career. I know I have to strike when the iron is hot. I look forward to the day when I can do a small movie and act and it's not about me wearing a bathing suit or chaps.'
"One of the reasons why I chose not to be a devout Christian is because a lot of people gave me a lot of grief for just being a woman and made me feel ashamed for having a body because it tempted men. I didn't understand what that meant because I was like, 'God created this...' That was a hard time in my life."
"I just didn't like the damsel-in-distress thing. I could relate to young girls wanting to see her take care of herself. And because I'm so good at action, I talked the writer and producer and director into throwing together a little fight sequence. It ended up taking three more weeks to shoot it. But at least I'm not tied up and asleep until my knight in shining armor comes and saves me. So I thought it was cool."
"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 did grow up in a Mexican-American culture, but my mom [who's of French and Danish heritage] was there the whole time. I mean, 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. If you're going to look genetically, I'm actually less Latin than Cameron Diaz, whose father is from Cuba. But she's not getting called a Latin actress because she's got blond hair and blue eyes."
"The movies that I do are usually physically demanding in one way or another. It's a good way to keep your health on track. Especially when you've been on-set for 14 hours, it's nice to relieve that stress in another way than having to rely on a big meal and wine."
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Jessica Alba Filmography
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Actress - filmography
(In Production) (2000s) (1990s)
Fantastic Four 2 (2007) (pre-production) (attached) .... Susan Storm/Invisible Woman
Sin City 2 (2006) (pre-production) .... Nancy Callahan
Awake (2006) (post-production) .... Sam
Into the Blue (2005) .... Sam
Fantastic Four (2005) .... Sue Storm
Fantastic Four (2005/II) (VG) (voice) .... Susan Storm
Sin City (2005) .... Nancy Callahan
... aka Frank Miller's Sin City (USA: complete title)
Honey (2003/I) .... Honey Daniels
"Mad TV"
- Episode #9.5 (2003) TV Episode .... Jessica Simpson
The Sleeping Dictionary (2003) .... Selima
Dark Angel (2002) (VG) (voice) .... Max Guevara
"Dark Angel" .... Max Guevera/X5-452
... aka James Cameron's Dark Angel (USA)
- Freak Nation (2002) TV Episode .... Max Guevera/X5-452
- Love Among the Runes (2002) TV Episode .... Max Guevera/X5-452
- She Ain't Heavy (2002) TV Episode .... Max Guevera/X5-452
- Dawg Day Afternoon (2002) TV Episode .... Max Guevera/X5-452
- Hello, Goodbye (2002) TV Episode .... Max Guevera/X5-452
(38 more)
Paranoid (2000/I) .... Chloe
Idle Hands (1999) .... Molly
Never Been Kissed (1999) .... Kirsten Liosis
P.U.N.K.S. (1999) .... Samantha Swoboda
... aka Rebels
"The Love Boat: The Next Wave"
- Remember? (1998) TV Episode .... Layla
"Beverly Hills, 90210"
- The Nature of Nurture (1998) TV Episode .... Leanne
- Making Amends (1998) TV Episode .... Leanne
"Brooklyn South"
- Exposing Johnson (1998) TV Episode .... Melissa Hauer
Too Soon for Jeff (1996) (TV) .... Christy
"Chicago Hope"
- Sexual Perversity in Chicago Hope (1996) TV Episode .... Florie Hernandez
"Flipper" (1995) TV Series (as Jessica Marie Alba) .... Maya Graham (1995-1997)
... aka The New Adventures of Flipper (USA)
Venus Rising (1995) .... Young Eve
"The Secret World of Alex Mack"
... aka Alex Mack (USA: short title)
- School Dance (1994) TV Episode .... Jessica
- Hoop War (1994) TV Episode .... Jessica
- The Accident (1994) TV Episode .... Jessica
Camp Nowhere (1994) (as Jessica Marie Alba) .... Gail
Filmography as: Actress, Herself
Herself - filmography
The 78th Annual Academy Awards (2006) (TV) (attached) .... Presenter
"Jimmy Kimmel Live"
- Episode dated 3 February 2006 (2006) TV Episode .... Herself
"Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show"
- Episode dated 4 October 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
"Late Night with Conan O'Brien"
- Episode dated 29 September 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 25 March 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
"Total Request Live"
... aka TRL (USA: promotional abbreviation)
... aka Total Request with Carson Daly (USA)
- Episode dated 28 September 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
"Live with Regis and Kathie Lee"
... aka Live with Regis (USA: new title)
... aka Live with Regis & Kelly (USA: new title)
- Episode dated 28 September 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 29 June 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
"Today"
... aka NBC News Today (USA: promotional title)
... aka The Today Show (USA)
- Episode dated 28 September 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 28 June 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno"
- Episode dated 26 September 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 7 July 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 5 October 2001 (2001) TV Episode .... Herself
Death of Celebrity (2005) (TV) .... Herself - Contributor
MTV Video Music Awards 2005 (2005) (TV) .... Herself
"Corazón de..."
- Episode dated 17 August 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 14 July 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
The Teen Choice Awards 2005 (2005) (TV) .... Herself - Attendee
2005 MTV Movie Awards (2005) (TV) .... Herself - Presenter
MTV Movie Awards 2005 Pre-Show (2005) (TV) .... Herself
Sin City: The Premiere (2005) (TV) .... Herself
Hot Popcorn: Movie Awards Greatest Moments (2005) (TV) .... Herself
"Trippin"
- Costa Rica (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
- Honduras (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards '05 (2005) (TV) .... Herself
"Last Call with Carson Daly"
- Episode dated 1 April 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 23 February 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Herself
"Late Show with David Letterman"
... aka Late Show Backstage (USA: title for episodes with guest hosts)
... aka The Late Show (USA: informal short title)
- Episode dated 22 March 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
The Teen Choice Awards 2004 (2004) (TV) .... Herself
"Entourage"
- The Review (2004) TV Episode .... Herself
"The View"
- Episode dated 7 July 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Herself
"The Sharon Osbourne Show"
... aka Sharon (USA: short title)
- Episode dated 5 December 2003 (2003) TV Episode .... Herself
"Rock Me Baby"
- The Difference Between Men and Women (2003) TV Episode .... Herself
"Tinseltown TV"
... aka Tinseltown.TV (USA: promotional title)
- Episode dated 27 September 2003 (2003) TV Episode .... Herself
MTV Video Music Awards 2003 (2003) (TV) .... Herself
The Teen Choice Awards 2003 (2003) (TV) .... Herself
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards '03 (2003) (TV) .... Herself
"Punk'd"
- Episode #1.3 (2003) TV Episode (uncredited) .... Herself
The 54th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2002) (TV) .... Herself
The Teen Choice Awards 2002 (2002) (TV) .... Herself - Presenter
"The Rosie O'Donnell Show"
- Episode dated 25 April 2002 (2002) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 12 November 2001 (2001) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 12 February 2001 (2001) TV Episode .... Herself
"Rank"
- 25 Toughest Stars (2002) TV Episode .... Herself - #17
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards '02 (2002) (TV) .... Herself - Presenter
The Teen Choice Awards 2001 (2001) (TV) .... Herself
