Jessica Alba Reveals Acting Wasn’t Fun For Her When She Was Younger

It is hard to imagine Jessica Alba, one of the most stunning actors in Hollywood, battle with insecurities early in her career. But in a recent interview on “iHeartRadio’s Let’s Be Real with Sammy Jaye podcast,” Alba revealed acting wasn’t fun for her due to her “insecurities.”

Alba's acting career started at the tender age of 13 with the 1994 movie, "Camp Nowhere," and there has been no looking back for her ever since. And as the years progressed, to the world she looked like a true goddess, but very few were aware of the insecurities she battled with while putting on a brave face.

During the interview, she opened up in detail about how she was her own worst critic.

"[I was] so wildly insecure about my abilities as an actress. I felt so judged," Alba told host Sammy Jaye, adding, "I was my worst critic. I think I didn't feel worthy."

As a result of being "paralyzed with fear," the "Honest Company" founder said she "never had a real liberating, fun experience" while shooting some of her early films.

"I just admired people who just were swaggy on set," she said to Jaye. "It felt like they were just in the zone and you could tell when someone is in the zone and when they just feel good."

The now 40-year-old went on to share that it wasn’t until she turned 30 that she was able to focus more on the journey and less on the results.

"I just think all of the outcomes were so disappointing, in Hollywood especially," Alba said in the interview. "I was like, 'This is so out of my control! Why?' You would have a big weather issue and if 80% of the country is frozen, guess who's not going to the movie theater that opening weekend? But you're slotted for that certain opening weekend. … 10 years, someone had spent on this project. You've spent at least two years of your life and you think it's going to turn out some way, and then the country's frozen over and no one can leave their house."

Alba continued: "Does that mean it's a failure? No. Does that mean, can they take away from your experience creating it and wanting it to be good? No. But I always looked at that final sort of outcome as what it should have been."

Eventually the actor decided to step away from acting and she has no qualms about it.

"I think taking a break for so long from it and literally having no consequence to whether it works or not, it allows me to have the freedom as a storyteller to just be completely present and try things and I really love it. And it's brought me real joy," said the “Sin City” actor.