About
Jessica Alba is an American actor-turned-entrepreneur whose career has zig-zagged from cult-favorite sci-fi roles to blockbuster comedies and, more recently, to the C-suite of a billion-dollar consumer-goods brand. She broke out at 19 as the genetically engineered heroine of James Cameron’s Dark Angel, then widened her portfolio with films such as Fantastic Four, Sin City, Valentine’s Day, Good Luck Chuck and Robert Rodríguez’s Machete. In 2012 she co-founded The Honest Company, pitching eco-conscious diapers, skin care and household products. The venture’s Nasdaq debut in 2021 made her one of the few actors to helm a publicly traded company. Away from the set she champions chemical-safety legislation, early-childhood education, and Latina entrepreneurship. In 2023 she stepped back in front of the camera—this time for unscripted television—creating and hosting the home-makeover series Honest Renovations, which Roku renewed for a third season in August 2024.
Before Fame
Born on April 28, 1981, in Pomona, California, Jessica Marie Alba grew up in a family that pinballed across the country with her father’s U.S. Air Force postings. Chronic childhood asthma often kept her indoors, so she devoured classic movies and announced at 11 that she wanted to act. After local drama classes and a talent-show victory, she landed an agent, studied at the Atlantic Theater Company, and quickly booked commercials. Her first film was the summer comedy Camp Nowhere (1994); television followed with a recurring turn on Nickelodeon’s The Secret World of Alex Mack and the 1998 remake of Flipper. That résumé—and a black-belt level of determination—set the stage for her breakout as Max Guevara in Dark Angel.
Trivia
- DIY streak: Alba does her own stunts whenever producers let her; she holds advanced certifications in diving and martial arts.
- Author: Her 2013 bestseller The Honest Life mixes clean-living tips with stories from early motherhood.
- Music-video cameo: She played “Domino” in Taylor Swift’s star-packed “Bad Blood” short (2015).
- Serial investor: Alba quietly backs several female-led start-ups in wellness and food tech.
- Renovation bug: Filming Honest Renovations turned her into a flooring obsessive—she now swears by reclaimed oak.
- Sports loyalty: A lifelong Golden State Warriors fan, she rarely misses a playoff game, even planning Honest board meetings around tip-off times.
Family Life
Alba’s mother, Catherine, has Danish and French Canadian roots; her father, Mark, is Mexican American. The actor is close to her younger brother, Joshua, who also pursued acting. In 2004 she crossed paths with film producer Cash Warren on the set of Fantastic Four. They married in a quiet Beverly Hills ceremony on May 19, 2008, and welcomed three children: Honor Marie (2008), Haven Garner (2011) and Hayes Alba (2017). After nearly 17 years of marriage, the pair confirmed an amicable separation in January 2025, stressing their commitment to co-parenting with “love and respect.” Alba formally filed for divorce the following month, requesting joint custody and restoration of her legal name. In the wake of the filing she whisked son Hayes to Los Cabos for a low-key beach break and later brought her daughters to Super Bowl 2025 for a “girls’ weekend.”
Associated With
- Directors: James Cameron gave her the launchpad of Dark Angel; Robert Rodríguez cast her multiple times, calling her his “action-muse”; and Michael Winterbottom tapped her for the drama The Killer Inside Me.
- Co-stars: She shared superhero status with Chris Evans in Fantastic Four, bantered opposite Dane Cook in Good Luck Chuck, and teamed with Gabrielle Union in the cop dramedy L.A.’s Finest.
- Business allies: Within Honest’s boardroom she’s collaborated with consumer-goods veteran Nick Vlahos and investor Brian Lee.
- Social-impact partners: Alba has campaigned alongside Michelle Obama for Let Girls Learn, joined Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In circles, and appeared with Selena Gomez and Sydney Sweeney at UNICEF fund-raisers.
