The Evolution Of Jessica Alba

The actor-turned entrepreneur-turned executive producer talks big business, facing her vulnerabilities and smashing self-doubt

- Penny Carroll and Martha Hayes

IF THERE’S ONE THING THE WORLD KNOWS ABOUT JESSICA ALBA, IT’S THAT SHE’S A TOTAL BOSS. As an actor, she’s famous for kicking butt on the big and small screens; as an entrepreneur, she helms a modern wellness empire, The Honest Company. But when we sit down with Jessica for our interview, it’s not in a slick boardroom, trendy restaurant or on the set of her new cop show (more on that later), but on wooden stools by a bathtub in her LA home. As we talk about the pressures of business and Hollywood, Jessica gently washes her adorable 18-month-old son Hayes’ hair and occasionally breaks into “Old Macdonald Had A Farm.” “He’s just started singing this song – it’s so sweet!” she says with a smile. It’s a refreshingly low-key scene for a business and entertainment mogul, but then, Jessica’s not really the type to show off. The 38-year old mom of three – she also shares two daughters, Honor, 11, and Haven, eight, with husband Cash Warren – describes herself as “really shy”, a kid who chose acting because it allowed her to feel like somebody else.

By Hollywood standards, though, she’s a bona fide star. She got her big break starring as a genetically engineered rogue soldier in the cult TV series Dark Angel; then came big-screen blockbusters Sin City and Fantastic Four (where she met entrepreneur hubby Cash). Then, in 2012, she unexpectedly stepped back from the spotlight to pour her energy into an idea she’d been brewing since her first daughter was born – a line of safe and effective baby, beauty, personal care and home products.