Biography
Date of Birth
28 December 1981, Pomona, California, USA
Birth Name
Jessica Marie Alba
Nickname
Sky Angel
Albz
Height
5' 6½" (1.69 m)
Mini Biography
Jessica Marie Alba was born on April 28, 1981, in Pomona, CA, to Catherine (Jensen) and Mark David Alba, who served in the US Air Force. Her father is of Mexican descent (including Spanish and Indigenous Mexican roots), and her mother has Danish, Welsh, English, and French ancestry. Her family moved to Biloxi, MS, when she was an infant. Three years later her father's career brought the family back to California, then to Del Rio, TX, 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. She studied at the Atlantic Theatre Company with founders William H. Macy and David Mamet.
A gifted young actress, Jessica has 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.
In 1996 she appeared in Venus Rising (1995) as "Young Eve." The next year she appeared on 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." That same year she was in two episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990) as "Leanne" and in two episodes of Love Boat: The Next Wave (1998).
She appeared in "Teen Magazine" in 1995 and various European magazines over the following years. More importantly, she was featured in the February 1999 issue of "Vanity Fair" magazine. 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) and starred in the sci-fi TV series Dark Angel (2000), gaining worldwide recognition.
Her first starring role in a major studio film was the Honey (2003), Universal Pictures' contemporary urban drama that grossed over $60 million worldwide. She has since made over 25 feature films that have earned a combined box-office total of over $800 million, including comedies and dramas, from gritty independents to major studio blockbusters. In 2005 she starred opposite Bruce Willis and an all-star cast in the provocative and critically acclaimed Sin City (2005), directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller. She next starred as Sue Storm--"The Invisible Girl"--in Marvel's action-franchise blockbuster Fantastic Four (2005), which was released by 20th Century-Fox in July 2005 and became a worldwide box-office success with over $300 million in revenue.
Jessica was part of Garry Marshall's all-star ensemble romantic comedy, Valentine's Day (2010), which broke box-office records with the largest opening on a four-day President's Day weekend in history. She starred opposite Casey Affleck and Kate Hudson in director Michael Winterbottom's controversial screen adaptation of The Killer Inside Me (2010), based on Jim Thompson's novel, as well as Robert Rodriquez's Machete (2010). She co-starred in the third installment of the hit "Meet the Parents" franchise Little Fockers (2010), as well as the 4D family adventure Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World (2011), marking her third of five collaborations with Robert Rodriguez. Jessica was part of an all-star voice cast for The Weinstein Company's animated adventure, Escape from Planet Earth (2012), also featuring Sarah Jessica Parker, Brendan Fraser and James Gandolfini.
She appeared in the comedy A.C.O.D. (2013), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and starred Adam Scott, Jane Lynch and Amy Poehler. She made a cameo appearance in Machete Kills (2013) and co-starred in Robert Rodriquez's highly-anticipated, star-studded sequel Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014). That year she had a full slate of acting projects, including the period drama Dear Eleanor (2016), The Englishman opposite Pierce Brosnan and Salma Hayek; the IFC parody mini-series The Spoils of Babylon (2014), produced by Funny or Die, with a stellar cast including Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Tobey Maguire, Michael Sheen and Tim Robbins; and Stretch (2014), co-starring Patrick Wilson, Chris Pine, Ray Liotta, Ed Helms and Brooklyn Decker.
Jessica has received Golden Globe and People's Choice Award nominations, was voted TV Guide readers' Breakout Star of the Year, and won Favorite TV Actress at the 2001 Teen Choice Awards for "Dark Angel." She won the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Female Actress for her performance in "Fantastic Four" and an MTV Movie Award for Sexiest Performance in "Sin City." She received another Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress in a Horror/Thriller for The Eye (2008) and was honored by the Young Hollywood Awards as Superstar of Tomorrow in 2005. She has received ALMA Awards for her performances in "Dark Angel" and "Machete," as well as a Fashion Icon in 2009.
Trivia
Older sister of Joshua Alba.
Was #1 on Maxim's Hot 100 Babe List. [2001]
Her father's family is Mexican, while her mother has Danish, Welsh, English, Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, and French ancestry. A DNA test taken on the television series Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2012) described Jessica as being of 72.7% European, 22.5% Native (Indigenous Mexican, including Mayan), 2% Sub-Saharan African, 0.3% Middle Eastern/North African, and 0.1% South Asian, ancestry, with an additional 2.4% for which there was no match. Her "Middle Eastern" roots were credited by the series to distant Sephardi Jewish ancestry on her father's side.
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).
Voted in at #6 in FHM's Sexiest Girls of 2002 poll, American edition. [June 2002]
Graduated high school at age 16.
Has a tattoo of a daisy with a ladybug on it on the back of her neck.
Her second cousin is skateboarding legend Steve Alba (aka "Salba").
Broke off her long engagement to co-star Michael Weatherly (Dark Angel (2000)) in 2003 but has reconciled recently.
She co-starred in one episode of Dark Angel (2000) with her brother, Joshua Alba, which was titled Dark Angel: ...and Jesus Brought a Casserole (2001). He played, Krit, one of her X-5 brothers who wanted to help destroy "Manticore" in the Season 1 finale.
Mentioned in D12's 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]
She wanted to become an actress at the age of five.
Became anorexic the same year she had a kidney infection (2001).
Has two pug dogs, named Nancy and Sid.
Named #5 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2005 list.
Ranked #3 on E! Television's 2006 101 Sexiest Celebrity Bodies.
She and Hayden Christensen visited Bellevue hospital and spent time with little children, bringing them Christmas cheer while filming Awake (2007).
Ranked and Voted #1 by AskMen.com's Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2006.
On E's "101 Sexiest Bodies", she was placed at 3rd, behind Brad Pitt in 2nd and Angelina Jolie in 1st.
Playboy magazine named her among its 25 Sexiest Celebrities, and the Sex Star of the Year in its March 2006 issue, on which cover she appeared. Alba brought suit against Playboy for its use of her image (from a promotional shot for Into the Blue (2005)) without her consent, which she contends gave the appearance that she was featured in the issue in a "nude or semi-nude pictorial." However she later dropped the lawsuit after receiving a personal apology from Playboy founder/editor Hugh Hefner, who also agreed to make donations to two charities that she supported.
Despite her Mexican ancestry, she isn't fluent in Spanish. She hardly understands anything in that language.
Named #22 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement (2005).
Was featured as #5 in Maxim Magazine's "Hot 100 of 2002" supplement. (2002).
Named #2 on Maxim Magazine's "Hot 100 of 2006" supplement (2006).
Named #3 in FHM magazine's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006" supplement. (2006).
Went to strip clubs as a part of her research for her character in Sin City (2005). However, she said that it didn't help because all the pro-strippers were doing "is trying to get tips".
Regularly attends basketball games of NBA player Baron Davis when his team is playing in Los Angeles, as her then boyfriend, now husband, Cash Warren, is a close friend of Davis'.
The bra that she wore in Sin City (2005) drew a winning bid of $1,025 in an eBay auction.
Named #2 on Maxim Magazine's "Hot 100 of 2007" supplement (2007).
Was ranked #2 on Maxim Magazine's "Hot 100" of the year lists, two years in a row. (2006 and 2007).
Named the "Sexiest Woman Celebrity" by Victoria's Secret. (2007).
Grew up in same town as Gilbert J. Menchaca.
Learned how to play the violin for her role in The Eye (2008).
Voted #1 as the most sexy woman in the world by the Norwegian FHM in 2006 and 2007.
Mentioned in Ashley Tisdale's song "He Said She Said".
Her father was a pro-circuit tennis player before joining the Air Force.
She has the Sankskrit word for "lotus" tattooed on the inside of her wrist.
Her maternal grandfather was a Marine NCO for thirty years, serving in the Pacific during WWII, and later as Asst. Drum Major for the United States Marine Band.
Good friends with Lindsay Lohan, Eva Longoria, Eva Mendes and Kate Hudson.
Started training in dance and Tae Bo two months prior to the start of scheduled filming on Honey (2003) (July 2002).
Frightened of flying birds.
Voted in at #1 in FHM's Sexiest Girls of 2007 poll, Latvian edition.
Named #4 on Empire Magazine's 100 Sexiest Movie Stars. (2007).
In 2007, Forbes Magazine estimated her earnings for the year to be $9 million.
Has co-starred with actor Sean Whalen in Never Been Kissed (1999) and Idle Hands (1999) but has never appeared on screen with him.
Her parents were only 20 when she was born.
When she was younger, she was quoted as saying "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?'" In 2008, she and her husband, Cash Warren Paid $4,050,000 for a 4,686-square-foot house in Beverly Hills, California, USA.
Daughter-in-law of Michael Warren.
Married her husband, Cash Warren, at a private ceremony on May 19, 2008. Even her closest friends were not invited.
Ranked #34 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2008 list.
Ranked #2 on Wizard magazine's "Sexiest Women of TV" list (March 2008).
Named to GQ Magazines' 25 Sexiest Women in film of all time.
Has portrayed a character named Sam or Samantha in three different movies, and a character named Susan or Susie in an additional three movies.
Born at 1:51 PM (PDT).
Was considered to replace Emily Blunt in Iron Man 2 (2010) but the role went to Scarlett Johansson.
Was ranked #34 on Maxim magazine's Hot 100 of 2010 list.
Her nude scene in Machete (2010) was fake. She actually wore underwear that were later digitally removed. Alba has stated that she would never do a nude scene and in fact has a "no nudity" clause as a standard part of all of her contracts.
Appeared twice on the cover of GQ magazine: April '05 and June '07.
Ranked #54 in Men's Health 100 Hottest Women of All Time (2011).
Co-founder, with Christopher Gavigan, of "The Honest Company", which makes chemical-free products, like diapers.
Jessica Alba is a close friend with Italian actor [error]. They met during the Venice Film Festival in 2002.
Had a body double for her sex scenes in The Sleeping Dictionary (2003).
Taryn Dakha Malco has served as her body double for numerous films, including Fantastic Four (2005), Good Luck Chuck (2007), The Eye (2008), The Love Guru (2008) and Machete (2010).
Ranked #8 on Maxim's "Hot 100" of 2014 list.
Johnny Depp is her favorite actor.
Was mentioned in the song "We Made You" by Eminem.
Friends with Nicole Richie, Cameron Diaz, Russell Simmons, Will.i.am, and Shay Mitchell.
(May 19, 2008) Married her boyfriend of 3 years Cash Warren in Los Angeles following a 5-month-long engagement.
Has 3 children: daughters, Honor Marie Warren (b. June 7, 2008) & Haven Garner Warren (b. August 13, 2011) and son, Hayes Alba Warren (b. December 31, 2017) with husband, Cash Warren.
Is a distant relative of O.J. Simpson's "Dream Team" lawyer Alan Dershowitz.
Her voice served as an inspiration for Carmelita Fox in Sly 2: Band of Thieves (2004).
She is the third cousin once removed of Gustavo Arellano.
Jessica Alba owns action figures of Max Guevara, the Invisible Woman and Nancy Callahan, which all had her likeness.
Trademarks:
Known for playing Max Guevara, the Invisible Woman and Nancy Callahan.
Quotes
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.
[July 2004] 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?
[on racial stereotyping] 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.
Men are much bigger divas than women. When I used to do the action scenes in Dark Angel (2000) 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.
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.
[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 neighborhood. 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 descent] 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.
Thank you to the fans. I do movies for you. Practice safe sex and drive hybrids if you can.
My first kiss was when I was 7, and it was scandalous because he was 10! I only did it so he would pick me on our neighborhood baseball team. And at the time, I thought it was great, but then it sucked because he didn't even pick me!
Men's magazines have nipples so why don't women have a magazine where men show their penises? There's Playgirl but not a fashion magazine like Elle. If there was a magazine like that I'd buy it. Nudity's not a big deal to me . . . I've said I won't go naked in any of my movies, because I don't want to. But that doesn't mean I don't want to see other people strip off!
It's porn [Good Luck Chuck (2007)]. There were all these actresses who got conned into being completely naked. Some were strippers, probably. But every day when I was done, I ran away. I was like, "Bye". As long as they didn't disrespect me, I could give a rat's butt.
It's probably the most influential thing that I've ever had. Thank god for Dark Angel (2000). Getting a blessing by James Cameron to star in his first television show. Really, the first thing he did after Titanic (1997) was hire me.
To me, box office is the most important thing. If the movie makes money, then I'm fine.
My theory is that if you look confident, you can pull off anything - even if you have no clue what you're doing.
When I went blonde for Sin City (2005) three years ago, I swear I've never had more male attention. I'd go to a bar and all these Arab Princes and much older men would want to buy me a drink - I'm talking guys in their 80s!
There's this mentality that you need the big dress and the big day - the day every girl gets to be a princess. I didn't agree with any of that. This tradition of obeying your husband like he's your king? It's a load of crap. Love and honor, yes. But you should love and honor yourself too, and all your friends.
[on Lindsay Lohan] She's really nice. We hang out and chat for hours about girl stuff.
No, I'll never do a nude scene. I can act sexy and wear sexy clothes but I can't go naked. I come from a very Catholic family so it wasn't seen as a good thing to flaunt yourself like that. I can handle being sexy with clothes on but not with them off.
[on James Cameron] There's nobody like him, and we're all blessed to have him be one of the best directors in our lifetime.
Avatar (2009) is incredible, just incredible. I love what Jim [James Cameron] is doing for the environment, just in what his movie says about taking care of and trying to save our planet. It's such a beautiful message.
I'm a total nerd at heart. If I'm not working I spend the whole day in my pajamas. I've never been desperate to be out there at parties, or to be playing the dating game.
Pregnancy was the most incredible experience I've ever had. So I'll take the stretch marks. I'll take the sagging boobs. I'll take the cellulite I can never get rid of.
My mom grew up around a huge family, and they always wanted more kids, and I was like, 'Why don't you just adopt?' I'm totally inspired. If you have the love, and the capacity to love children, you should just adopt. And I plan on doing it.
I love Kate Winslet, she has a beautiful body, as does Monica Bellucci, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Biel, Scarlett Johansson. There are so many gorgeous girls out there.
I've bought 70 percent of my house off Craigslist! I've found so many things: couches, tables, lamps. I love the idea of recycling furniture and there being a history there.
[on her daughter] I'm very strict with her. When it's time for her to eat, whether she's hollering or whatever, it's time to eat. She gets a time out if she cries for no reason. So then she stops because she doesn't want a time out.
[on having more children] Yeah, I think so, it's the best thing ever. So, having more kids, I can wrap my head around it.
No, I'll never do a nude scene. I can act sexy and wear sexy clothes but I can't go naked.
[on Lindsay Lohan] The fact that she can poke fun at herself - she's a brilliant actress. Mean Girls (2004) is a classic. It's so good. How can you ever forget that? I think people should probably focus more on someone's career and maybe less on someone's personal circumstances. It's nobody's business. Everyone goes through their own thing.
[on herself after childbirth] My breasts are saggy, I've got cellulite, my hips are bigger... every actress out there is more beautiful than me.
[on the criticism she received on her acting career] I know I haven't been swimming in the deep end with some of the movies I've done. I wasn't trying to. I knew what they were.
When I read the script for Machete (2010), I was uncomfortable with the sexual content. I got really nervous even talking about it.
I wish I was more educated but I make do with the tools I was given in life.
[on being a parent] It's the best of life. Honor walks and talks, has a lot of opinions.
Honor is so beautiful and I feel so enriched by being part of her life. She's my main priority now and I want to give her the best life possible. Before she was born I was totally focused on my career, but now with Cash and our daughter I feel that I'm building a wonderful family. I would like to have more children at some point.
We didn't plan on starting a family so soon but when it happened we realized what a beautiful moment it was. We're a lot closer. The beauty of marriage and having a family is knowing you're sharing everything with someone else and are committed to being part of each others lives. Cash and I understand that and together with our daughter, we want to have a wonderful life.
Oddly, I think I'm a little more wild and free since I had Honor because once she's in bed all my mom friends come over and we have dance parties at my house. It's really dorky and I probably wouldn't have done that before. But no, I don't go out. I hang out with my friends and I'm pretty chilled.
[on being criticized by Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) director Tim Story] - [The director told me] 'It looks too real. It looks too painful. Can you be prettier when you cry? Cry pretty, Jessica'. He was like, 'Don't do that thing with your face. Just make it flat. We can CGI the tears in'.I'm like, 'but there's no connection to a human being'. And then it all got me thinking: 'Am I not good enough? Are my instincts and my emotions not good enough? Do people hate them so much that they don't want me to be a person? Am I not allowed to be a person in my work?' And so I just said, 'Fuck it - I don't care about this business anymore.'
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.
I can't ever get down to the weight I was before I had Honor [her first child]. My body's just different. The jeans just sort of zip up differently, and things hang differently.
(on physical attraction fading and personality being more important in relationships): The physical is so fleeting anyway. And when you're in a relationship, the physical lasts for, maximum, two years. And then you don't care how attractive you are to that person - if they drive you nuts, they drive you nuts.
(on expecting her second child) The nursery isn't ready. It's not even close, but I'm accumulating things. In the beginning the baby stays with me in the room, so you don't need the nursery ready so soon. We're remodeling our house, so it's going to take a few months. I'm really taking my time.
I was a child actor and it worked for me, given the circumstances I was in, but I'm lucky enough to give my daughter and my second baby a completely different life and an education that I never had the opportunity to have. When they're done with college, if they want to get into the arts, that's fine. I think you will be a better artist the more life experience you have, but I wouldn't encourage them to work in this type of environment as children.
It's hard. On the weekends is when my husband and I make a concerted effort to just not email or text, but really spend our time with our daughter and be completely, 100 percent focused on her. During the week, it's here and there, depending on if I am busy with meetings or not. It is tough, because I do care about my career. I do have that, but she's my number one priority. If she's not doing okay, nothing matters.
It feels like you're really officially, really truly a mom when you have two kids. [With] one kid you're a mom for sure, but two takes it to another level.
[on chipping her front tooth while filming Good Luck Chuck (2007)] I chipped my front tooth doing a kiss with Dane Cook and he chipped his bottom tooth. We were doing this comedic Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) love scene, and we were slamming into walls and breaking things and tumbling over couches and stuff. At one point, he slammed my head into a picture frame and, while my head was smacking into the wall and breaking the picture, his teeth slammed into my teeth. Now I have a bond on my tooth and, when I take it off, I look like Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber (1994). I look really silly. I guess I'd be perfect for a sequel. I can definitely take the bond off of my tooth and throw people off a bit. I get to take this thing off and be somebody else for a little while. It's like a disguise.
I don't have to be a boss; I don't have to be a wife; I don't have to be a sister. It's been liberating to be able to play someone who's a badass or promiscuous because that's the opposite of who I am. It's like a drug.
[on her 'new approach' to acting] I've played a lot of leading-lady types; they were sweet, aspirational, not terribly complicated people. I need to make sure I had staying power, so I went after tentpole movies that were going to be big and global. I really just want to work with directors who I think are cool, and on movies that I think are fun and characters that I think are interesting, whether that's an indie or a big movie.
Everybody is beautiful, and there are so many different types of beauty and ideas of beauty - it really comes down to confidence.
I share the same advice that my mom gave me - stay hydrated and sleep well. And that being a beautiful person on the inside is what matters.
My theory is that if you look confident you can pull off anything - even if you have no clue what you're doing.
[on Johnny Depp] I have a huge fat crush on him. Of all the men in this business, he is my favorite. Wow! I presented at the Golden Globes. I saw him, made eye contact with him and forgot all my lines.
When I was a little kid, I made a deal with the universe. If I was able to manifest my dreams, then I would try to do good in some way."
