(1981-)

Who Is Jessica Alba?

Jessica Alba appeared on the big screen for the first time in the 1994 comedy Camp Nowhere. Then she sprang into the spotlight with her role as Max Guevera in James Cameron's sci-fi series Dark Angel. Alba went on to star in two installments of a big screen adaptation of Fantastic Four, and collaborated with Robert Rodriguez for multiple films.

Early Life

Born on April 28, 1981, in Pomona, California, Jessica Alba comes from a diverse background. Her father is Mexican-American and her mother has Danish and French roots. As the daughter of a member of the U.S. Air Force, she moved around a lot while growing up, living in California, Mississippi and Texas, before settling back in California.

TV and Films

Early Career: 'Camp Nowhere' to 'Flipper'

Alba began studying acting in her early teens and had an agent by the age of 12. Netting her first film role, she appeared in the 1994 comedy Camp Nowhere. She also found work as a model and did some commercials. Around this time, Alba landed a recurring role on The Secret World of Alex Mack, a popular tween comedy about a girl who develops special powers. She also took to the water with a short-lived remake of the classic aquatic adventure series Flipper, which was filmed in Australia.

Breakthrough Role on 'Dark Angel'

After a string of guest appearances, Alba was given the leading role in the science-fiction series Dark Angel. The show was created by director James Cameron and premiered in the fall of 2000. She played Max Guevera, a genetically modified young woman who had escaped from a genetics research project that used children as test subjects.

Set in 2019 in a post-apocalyptic Seattle, the series featured storylines about her search for others from the project as well as the efforts of the government to recapture her. Her character worked with a journalist named Logan Cale, played by Michael Weatherly. Off-screen, Alba and Weatherly developed a personal relationship and were engaged for a time.

While the series earned some critical acclaim, Dark Angel only lasted for two seasons.

'Honey,' 'Sin City,' 'Fantastic Four'

Alba soon appeared on the big screen in Honey (2003), playing a hip-hop dancer and choreographer. Not a critical success, it was popular with teen audiences. She then played a different type of dancer in Sin City (2005) — a stripper with book smarts. Around this time, Alba brought a comic book heroine to life in Fantastic Four (2005). She played Sue Storm, one of the four astronauts who gain unusual powers after being exposed to cosmic rays. Reprising her role, she also starred in the 2007 sequel, 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

'Into the Blue,' 'Good Luck Chuck,' 'The Eye,' 'The Love Guru'

Taking on another adventurous part, Alba co-starred in Into the Blue (2005) with Paul Walker and Scott Caan, as a diver who gets into trouble after discovering a sunken plane. In Good Luck Chuck (2007), Alba tried her hand at romantic comedy, opposite Dane Cook. Neither effort fared well with critics nor attracted much of an audience. Continuing to branch out, Alba starred in The Eye (2008), a remake of a Japanese horror film. She played a musician who receives an eye transplant, which produces some unwanted side effects. Returning to comedy, Alba landed a part in the Mike Myers film The Love Guru (2008).

'Machete,' 'Spy Kids 4,' 'The Spoils of Babylon'

The actress remained busy, though many of her roles came as part of an ensemble cast or in lesser-known flicks. She continued to collaborate with Sin City co-director Robert Rodriguez, appearing in his films Machete (2010), Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World (2011) and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014). Alba also surfaced in the comedic miniseries The Spoils of Babylon, which aired on IFC in early 2014.

'Mechanic: Resurrection,' 'L.A.'s Finest'

Alba went on to star in the action-comedy Barely Lethal (2015), the spooky The Veil (2016) and the thriller Mechanic: Resurrection (2016), though only the last made any noise at the box office. She then made a long-awaited return to television in 2019 with L.A.'s Finest, co-starring with Gabrielle Union in this offshoot of the Bad Boys films.

Husband and Kids

In May 2008 Alba married her boyfriend Cash Warren, whom she met on the set of Fantastic Four. Alba gave birth to a baby girl, Honor Marie, on June 7, 2008 in Los Angeles. Haven Garner followed on August 13, 2011, before the couple had their first son, Hayes Alba, on December 31, 2017.

QUICK FACTS

Name: Jessica Alba
Birth Year: 1981
Birth date: April 28, 1981
Birth State: California
Birth City: Pomona
Birth Country: United States
Gender: Female
Best Known For: Actress Jessica Alba shot to stardom with her role on TV's 'Dark Angel.' She also played Sue Storm in the 'Fantastic Four' movies.
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