Back in the day, Jessica Alba was one of Hollywood’s hottest young stars. In the early 2000’s, America saw her regularly in blockbuster hits like Sin City and Fantastic Four. And who could forget her breakout role in Honey? If nothing else, this chick could dance!
But seriously, what has she been up to lately?
Since that string of moneymakers, Jessica has decided to focus a lot more on real business. If you've noticed Honest Company products at your local Target lately, that's her brand! In 2017, this 'clean' beauty and home care line was valued at nearly a billion bucks. Yes, you hear that right — billion with a B!
Yes, Jessica Alba is a lot busier than you think these days. Many people are more interested in her story than ever. Just how did this girl from humble beginnings get so far? It couldn't have been easy!
Behind that perfect face, there has always been a lot going on. From the very beginning of her career, this actress has overcome challenges people might not expect. Did you know Jessica was once a missing person? No joke, that happened!
Read on to find out Jessica's real story behind the scenes and off the screen...
Destined For Beauty
Recently, one of Jessica Alba's relatives found an old photo stashed away. The actress shared the image on Insta gram: "Mi abuelita aka gamma gamma or grammers... thx cousin". Why, it appears to be grandma Alba!
The stunning black and white portrait actually resembles Jess quite a bit! With these genes, no wonder the girl got a running start in Hollywood. And back then, granny's indigenous fashion statement wasn't just a trend at Coachella. Where is her family originally from, anyway?
Mexican Mami
Jessica Alba was born in California, a state now known for its mix of Latino and White culture. Her own family followed this pattern! Dad had a Mexican-American background and mom was Danish, German, Welsh, English, and French. Theoretically, Jess had the chance to acquire two languages at a native level. But did she?
Nah, she turned out to be an All-American girl who only knew English like so many youngsters these days! In reality, her father and mother both worked at restaurants by night to make ends meet for their growing young family.
Jessica wasn't the only child, and things were hectic! Did the future actress feel the pressure back then, though?
Princess Jess
As it turns out, Jessica never really saw herself in that reality. The actress explained: “I was born with a wicked sense of entitlement...I always thought I was born into the wrong family, that I was…royalty and nobody knew it but me.” A star was born!
Jessica did notice what was going on a little bit, despite what she says about her blue-blooded outlook. As she grew older, she noticed that her peers had different family stories.
For example, the fact that her parents got married as teens was pretty unusual! What's more, they had two children before the age of 21. What was that like, as she reflects now?
The Wonder Years
Jess now says that having young parents felt like everyone really grew up together! Perhaps the youthful atmosphere gave her more flexibility to express her interests. What did she want to do early on?
Surprise, surprise — at age five, Jessica wanted to act! While many kids show an interest in being in the movies at some point, this girl wasn't going through a phase. That's pretty clear now! Did her community support her back then?
No Hablo Español
It's sad to say, but many bi-racial children feel like they don't belong anywhere sometimes. Jessica was no exception and found herself feeling judged by the Latin community for being insufficiently Mexican. Admittedly, she didn't even speak Spanish!
She wasn’t totally white either. Where oh where did she belong?
It might make people chuckle now, but this stunning woman did not always feel comfortable with her appearance! And there was one more factor in the mix affecting her self image at this age. A little religion, maybe?
Prim And Proper
Jessica was raised in a Christian family with pretty strict rules. In most religious homes, this translates to modest dress. It can be challenging to conform to these norms in a skimpy skirt culture, though!
Jessica did try to wear modest clothes during these years, but her youth pastor still made comments about how she dressed.
When men hit on her, he blamed and shamed her. Reflecting on it now, the actress says that those conversations made her feel self-conscious and uncomfortable. Yikes! Would this issue hold her back in such a body-focused industry soon?
A Natural Winner
Dealing with religious judgment on top of being shunned by the Spanish-speaking community was a lot to deal with. And she still wasn't accepted as white, either! At school, Jessica says she was bullied for being different. What's a girl to do in this cruel world?
At age 11, Jess convinced her mom to take her to a contest in Beverly Hills. What was the competition all about?
Acting, of course! The winner would receive free acting classes, and this preteen knew exactly what she was doing. After winning the event hands down, it was time to start learning her craft!
Into The Woods
Many may not know that Jessica Alba was chronically ill as a child. Partially collapsed lungs, constant pneumonia, asthma, and even OCD were part of her life all the time!
Still, even health challenges couldn't distract this ambitious girl. Nine months after she started the acting lessons, Jessica was signed on by an agent. At age 12, things were starting to get exciting!
About a year later, Jess actually starred in her first film. Few people remember the 1994 comedy, but Camp Nowhere was a special film for her! Every star gets their start somewhere, and her resume was now filling up with modeling gigs and real roles. Soon, a young Jessica Alba would really be making waves. Literally, waves!
Dolphin Days
At 15, Jessica landed a role in a notable remake. We all remember Flipper on TV Land reruns, but audiences in the 1990's enjoyed the revival. This was her first reoccurring role on a series, and the young actress even got to film in Australia! Very exciting stuff, for sure.
On set one day, things got a little bit creepy. Jessica received a call from a strange man, and he kept calling day after day. As a 15-year-old, she may not have been as stranger savvy as she is now, but she dismissed this contact as some kind of weird, obsessed fan. Was she right to brush it off?
Talk And Stalk
The man turned out to be relentless, and he continued to call the teen on a regular basis as she showed up on set day after day. As an aspiring starlet, this had to be the last thing she wanted to focus on. Sometimes, life gives you no choice in the matter!
Young Jess rationalized that she couldn't be the first actress to be stalked out there, and maybe it was all part of the deal. Maybe every famous woman deals with this, she concluded. Whether she was right or wrong, what happened next defied everyone's assumptions!
Abducted Teen
One day, it happened. While Jessica Alba was hanging out on set as usual, a man was lurking behind the scenes. No one really noticed him until it was too late!
Shockingly, a stranger snuck up behind Jessica and carried her away! Everyone initially wondered why she had just wandered away on the job, but it quickly became clear that this was not a normal situation. Jessica wasn't distracted — she was kidnapped!
Not A Joke Anymore
The rest of the group had trouble making sense of her sudden disappearance. But given that Jessica was only 15, it was more concerning than usual. Where could she have gone, all by herself? Things just weren't adding up!
The production team started searching, now worried a third party might be involved. Failing to locate Jess, they called the authorities. Would professionals be able to do the job?
Mission Impossible
Foul play now suspected, police took the matter very seriously. Underage and missing in a foreign country was a pretty concerning combination!
And honestly, think about the bad press for Australia if a young, famous actress was harmed! Soon, clues would lead to her discovery. But even that would prove to be baffling, with more questions than answers for investigators!
Bound But Found
Jessica was discovered tied up, and gagged! Her very live body was in the trunk of a car, and no one could believe their eyes! Australia is not exactly known as a place for tons of violent crime. But here they were, staring down at a kidnapped teen!
After 14 hours, the ordeal was over. Naturally, everyone wanted to know what happened! What did Jessica the survivor tell the police?
Mum's The Word
After being untied and refreshed with a glass of water, its time to reveal the story. At least, that's what everyone would assume in a situation like this. Oddly enough, Jessica didn't want to share her experience!
In a case that still remains mysterious today, police did not receive any cooperation from the victim. And without her testimony, what could they do? The state dropped their investigation, unable to pursue the criminal!
Full Speed Ahead
After making it out alive, Jessica Alba simply didn't want other people to know about her trauma. She decided to continue pursuing her dreams and tried to put the incident behind her. Keeping her Christian faith and navigating young adult life and a racy industry now took up all of her time!
Sex before marriage was a big no-no in the church, and Jess steered clear of physical activity during this period. It was all about the job for this actress, and she planned to keep things professional. Little did she know that she was about to meet a man that would change everything.
Bored And Beautiful
It's safe to say that men noticed Jessica very early on. Despite her pastor's instructions, there wasn't anything she could do about it!
It's funny now, but Jessica says she wasn't always sure what was going on with guys. Hardly anyone even asked her out in high school! Was she interested in them, though?
Stupid Boys
For a while, Jessica just dated whoever asked her out. Why not, right? It was time to dip her toe into the water and at least experiment in this area. Truthfully, high school boys just weren't cutting it. After all, Jess was already a working actress!
Jessica felt too mature for these youngsters, and no one could blame her at the end of the day. What would happen when she was seriously pursued by a grown, adult man?
Smoove Moves
Jessica ended up meeting a bisexual dancer years older than her, and she was totally blown away. Everything about him was so different than the church values she knew! Her parents would never approve. She was 16, and he was long out of school!
The pair danced at clubs several nights a week, and the romance was undeniable. Falling so hard for someone outside of the norm led Jessica to question all of her religious views. What was her epiphany?
Dirty Dancing
Jessica reflects on her first serious crush: “I was so in love with him and thought, ‘There’s no way this guy’s going to hell.” And like that, the actress began a very different path.
Jessica consciously decided to stop avoiding things she wanted to experience in life for the sake of religion. While this young relationship wasn't meant to last, it was an important catalyst for the next chapter in her life. What would come next, now almost 18?
Television Transition
After Flipper, Jessica booked some guest appearances. Things moved along, but nothing stuck immediately. Jessica dated and partied a little bit, all the while hoping her big career moment was just around the corner!
Finally, Jess got the call. After looking at plenty of other beautiful faces, the studio picked her to star in a sexy new series on Fox. Dark Angel was born!
Meeting Michael
Jessica celebrated the big 18 while filming the show. What a milestone!
Fellow Dark Angel actor Michael Weatherly was very interested in getting to know the now legal beauty. He was only 12 years older than her, of course.
Jessica fell for this experienced older man very quickly, and Michael was delighted. Abandoning her Christian values on intimacy before marriage, the two became deeply physically involved. Was this a big mistake?
Popping The Question
At age 19, Jessica was famous and in love with her costar. Things couldn't have been better! Or maybe the best was yet to come?
This dark angel was landing new roles on a regular basis! When she turned 20, Jessica Alba was a household name. And now, Michael wanted more. He proposed! Did she accept the offer from her very first lover?
Fast Didn't Last
Indeed, they wed! This was a serious commitment, unlike accepting short term roles in the acting business. Would this marriage endure longer than the series, though?
In 2003, their union ended. Three years of marriage was apparently enough for Jessica at this stage. She was just so young, as most people probably thought when she made the surprise commitment. Would she move on right away, though?
Love Driven
After her divorce, Jessica Alba dated around for a while. And in Hollywood, who could blame her? There were so many handsome and interesting options all around her, and she says she had a “wild period with men for a second” in her new single life. Tabloids documented Mark Wahlberg and Derek Jeter on her arm!
Jess said they were both pretty nice guys, actually. Soon, however, she would meet Mr. just right. Was it yet another celebrity?
Catching Her Eye
As many remember, Jessica Alba was the Invisible Woman in Fantastic Four. Totally iconic! But could Jess really ever be invisible anywhere?
Why, of course not! And to production assistant Cash Warren, make that a double no. Jessica has explained that they had a powerful first encounter on set: “It was kind of a love-at-first-sight thing." Sounds ideal! What was the problem?
So Friend Zoned
As it turns out, Jessica was already dating another man! As a girl that valued relationships over flings, she tried to be faithful to her existing commitment. But Cash was hard to ignore as she tried to just be friends on set.
Jessica was smitten! Cash probably could tell, and he decided to take action. What did he do? Jessica was already taken!
In Honest Company
At some point, it was clear that being friends was really not working out. Why resist natural chemistry, if it's that strong?
The story goes that Cash played up his name with a note that included a dollar sign. The only other detail was one sentence: “I really, really like you.” The truth was, it was totally mutual at this point! What else needed to be said? Short and sweet, it really made the point. But wait — what about her boyfriend?
You're The One That I Want
The short answer is, Jessica dumped him. Cash it was! Reflecting on this choice now, Jessica is content: “If I met Cash and I was married to somebody else, I would have to get a divorce. We make that much sense together.” Now that's a strong endorsement!
The two had some rough times in the beginning. Cash was jealous sometimes. Who could blame him, though? Every man in the world wanted to be with her, and she met him while she was with another man in the first place! The pair even broke up during this turmoil. It only lasted a few months, though.
Love Conquers All
Eventually, Jessica ended up pregnant and engaged. And the rest, as they say, is history. Looks like a Hollywood ending for Jessica and Cash, true love at last!