WATCH: Jessica Alba says ‘armor of masculinity’ protected against Hollywood predators
Heather Hamilton
Video Embed
Actress Jessica Alba said she had to be someone she wasn’t during her early days in Hollywood to avoid being preyed upon.
“I was a warrior,” Alba told CNN’s Chris Wallace. “I was really tough, man. I cursed like a sailor, and I was very — I think I tried to make myself as unavailable as possible so that I wouldn’t be taken advantage of.”
iFrame Object
THE OFFICE ACTOR RAINN WILSON DECLARES ‘THERE IS AN ANTI-CHRISTIAN BIAS IN HOLLYWOOD’
At the age of 13, Alba got her start in Hollywood with a role in the 1994 film Camp Nowhere and a recurring role in the Nickelodeon comedy series The Secret World of Alex Mack. She is perhaps best known for her roles in Dark Angel, Fantastic Four, and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.
“I guess I understood that I needed to help sell the product,” Alba said when asked about being portrayed as a sex symbol. “They sell it how they do, so I understood it as a business decision and a strategy.”
Alba said it wasn’t until she became a mother that she began to appreciate her femininity. She said she decided to step away from the industry after reaching a point of exhaustion with having to protect herself constantly.
“I think at the time, I felt a bit tapped out with entertainment, with where it was at,” Alba said. “I just took a step back and kind of let it do its thing.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
She noted that she still has a passion for telling stories but that today she thinks of her purpose differently.
Alba has launched her own business, The Honest Company, which sells household, baby, and personal products.