Jessica Alba has described herself as a ‘warrior’ and opened up about her struggles and the strategies she used to cope with being a sex symbol in the early 2000s.
Known largely today for her business entrepreneurship and her The Honest Company empire, Alba earned a whole host of roles in the early to mid 2000s, starring in cult films including Honey, Sin City and Into the Blue.
She soon rose to fame after becoming a household name at the age of just 19 when she starred in director James Cameron’s 2000 series, Dark Angel.
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When asked on the latest episode of Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? about being 'objectified' as a young actor twenty years ago, Alba explained she felt that she understood the assignment at the time.
She said: “I guess I understood that I needed to help sell the product. And they sell it how they do, so I understood it as a business decision and a strategy.
"And so I was able to distance myself from it. But I guess, you know, you can't change other people's minds about what they may or may not think of you."
However, Alba says that she has no regrets about using her sexuality - even if she didn’t always feel comfortable: "I don't think that there's anything wrong with owning your sexuality.
“I just frankly was definitely not that person. I was very nervous about all of that, and I was quite uncomfortable in my own skin."
But when it came to life behind the lens, Alba had to put on a front to protect herself.
She goes on to say that she made a decision to radiate ‘masculine energy’ so she wouldn't be ‘preyed on’ by Hollywood predators.
"At that time, I felt like I was very much having to put up this armour of masculinity and masculine energy so I wouldn't, you know, be preyed on because there were a lot of predators in Hollywood from age 12 to 26."
But it was becoming a mother that helped her 'own' her femininity.
She added: "It wasn't until I became a mom that I really started to even see myself as a woman or a sexual being or someone who owned her power and her femininity.”
Alba recalled that she would ‘curse like a sailor’ and tried to make herself as ‘unavailable as possible’ to anyone who wanted to take advantage.
She went on to say that her 'priorities shifted a bit' after the birth of her daughter and led her to think about her purpose differently, which partly influenced her decision to step away from acting and pursue her business.
Alba continued: “I think at the time, I felt a bit tapped out with entertainment, with where it was at. It was pre-#MeToo movement and I think this is a very different Hollywood today than it was 14 years ago.
“I just took a step back and kind of let it do its thing. Entertainment was really like - the town was very different.”
Topics: Celebrity
Amelia Jones