Cinescape Interview:

3 Questions with Jessica Alba
Probably the most anticipated show of the new fall TV season is Fox's Dark Angel. The creation of James Cameron--the man who gave us Terminator, Aliens, and Titantic--Dark Angel takes place in a dark, near-future world, its protagonist a genetically-enhanced and very attractive female named Max. Star Jessica Alba had to beat out nearly 1000 other applicants who auditioned for the part. Formerly seen in the horror film Idle Hands as well as Drew Barrymore's Never Been Kissed, Dark Angel marks Alba's first foray into the action genre.

Cinescape: What was the audition like?
Jessica Alba: They were totally cool. Jim [Cameron] had the camera, first he had another guy tape it. I did the scene and we played around with different stuff. I worked really well with his directness and the way he directs. He doesn't try to sugracoat anything. He says 'this is what I want and at this point do this, at this point do that, and maybe she's feeling this,' and he has a reason for it and a backstory. He doesn't tell me you have to do it a certain way, he just says go in this line of these emotions. He gives you creative freedom and a direction at the same time, which most directors don't do. He's totally down to earth. It was awesome.

Cinescape: How did you train for the part?
Jessica Alba: I did weight training for like an hour and a half each day. I did kung-fu, I did gymnastics, and motorcycle training. I was lots of days out in the desert on dirt bikes and street bikes and feaking out that I'm going to fall over and kill myself. I hold a lot of respect for bikes and people who ride bikes. I don't have that ballsy fearless thing that Max has about it and that most real motorcycle riders have about it because I think it's really dangerous. It's really heavy and one false move and you're on the floor. You're done. I have to admit that going over twenty down the street you feel powerful, you feel invincible. I understand the rush and why Max does it. It's so self-empowering. They're all joking about giving me a bike and I'm like no, no, no. It'll sit in the driveway.

Cinescape: Any similarities between you and Max?
Jessica Alba: I think I have a hard time expressing emotions like she does. I'm not one who's going to sit there and tell you my life story. It's not that I don't trust people, but I don't give my heart to people quickly at all. I have my good friends who I love, and I'm loyal the way she's loyal, but I won't let just anyone in. I'm really choosy like she is. I thnk the fact she does her own thing regardless of what people think of her, I knd of had that as well. Living in L.A., everyone likes to mold you and change you. I don't care about fame, I don't care about being a celebrity. I know that's part of the job, but I don't feed into anyone's idea of who I should be. And I thnk that's similar to Max because she doesn't feed into being the sexy, hot, motorcycle smart-mouth girl. She doesn't take it seriously, she's just who she is.

Entertainment Tonight Interview:

ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT: What attracted you to "Dark Angel"?
JESSICA ALBA: It's more like what didn't attract me to "Dark Angel"? There's nothing not to absolutely love about this. It's fast, it's hip, it's cutting edge, it represents strength and power, but in a good sense. There's a lot of heart. There's amazing action that we owe to Jim Cameron. It just breaks down life -- and it's really good.

ET: How do you feel about having James Cameron for a boss?
Jessica: I think he's pretty cool. He's a nice guy. He's just totally cool to me and he's always been really positive and he makes me feel good. And he's totally there for us. He keeps an open ear and any time we have any suggestions or any worries or anything, he's totally there for us. So, I love it. I think it's great. I couldn't be in a better situation.

ET: What kind of advice has he given you?
Jessica: Don't do anything you're uncomfortable with, and stay true to your character. He has so much belief and confidence in me and in what I'm doing with the show, that he just lets me go and he just frees me. You can't ask for more.

ET: There's a lot of pressure, besides having James Cameron as your boss, you're also the perfect female prototype.
Jessica: (Laughs) Well that was 11 months of training. I wasn't born like this. No, I went through some pretty intensive training, three hours a day, five days a week. Weight training, running, bicycling, and an hour to two hours a day of gymnastics, motorcycle training, and Kung-Fu. I did this for eleven months. I actually started training for the show before it was even written.

ET: How did you get cast?
Jessica: I wasn't auditioning at the time for pilots. I didn't want to do anything unless my heart was in it, you know? I read this and the character just shot me in the heart, I was like, wow! I just related to her completely. And then they had the whole outline with being like genetically enhanced and the reason why she has to be secretive and why she's so intense, but yet she really just likes to have fun.

ET: How much is she like you?
Jessica: I have a hard time sort of expressing my deal -- so does she. I kind of beat around the bush a little bit and ...(Laughs) but then I'm really confrontational. She doesn't let anybody get away with anything. And it's just my nature not to let anybody get away with anything. I can't help but be honest and she's just nothing but honest. So in that way we kind of are married, I guess, but she's way cooler than me (laughs).

ET: This show is pretty high profile, how prepared are you to be catapulted into that level of fame?
Jessica: God, I don't know. I really don't worry about it that much. I want to be safe. I know sometimes it can be unsafe when people think that you're something that you're not and they can get some kind of connection to you that really isn't there. But other than that, I mean, if people recognize me I'd be like, wow! Thanks! I'm not sitting here trying to be a movie star or trying to stick my nose in the air -- I'm doing it because I want to relate to people and touch people and have fun.

ET: Why do you think people should watch this show?
Jessica: It has a really good message. She learns from her mistakes and if it's good, it works out in the best way, and she just kind of goes with it. Plus it's just visually awesome. Who wouldn't want to see this? You know? It's like 'Matrix,'/Catwoman/'Mission Impossible' all rolled into one! She really has a heart and she takes people in and she's human and she's real and honest. I think that's why people should watch the show. Just give it a chance.

Tonight Show Interview Jay Leno

[Also present were Ian Thorpe, Australian swimmer and Drew Carey]
Leno: Welcome back. (talking to Ian) Have you met Jessica? Oh she’s beautiful.
Drew: Hey, I’m the one with the good body around here
(audience laughter)

Leno: She’s a young actress, starring in James Cameron’s new TV series Dark Angel, airs Tuesday nights on another network, oh it’s FOX. They know that. Please welcome, Jessica Alba

[Jessica Alba strolls in wearing a black, knee-length tank dress; her hair is straight.]
Leno: Hey, nice to meet you.
[audience howling]

Leno: Well, that’s fun. You have a lot of fans. I guess they remember the TV show Flipper, huh?
[audience clapping]

Leno: A lot of Flipper fans. Wasn’t that Flipper you were on?
Alba: Yeah, I was on a TV show called Flipper and I lived in Australia for 6 ½ months and 7 ½ months for two years and I picked up "no worries" and that was the only thing that I picked up there.

Leno: Now, "no worries". What is that?
Thorpe: It’s an Australian --
Alba: Australians always say "no worries", and you ask them for a cup of coffee and they go "no worries", 10 minutes later you ask them for a cup of coffee "no worries", so you figure you’re going to get it, 10 minutes later you ask for a cup of coffee "no worries"... That means, they’re not going to bring it to you

Leno: Well, they’re very polite. They just don’t want to tell you that. Maybe you could teach him some American phrases sometime. I feel like I’m in a bad episode of the dating game
Thorpe: [snickers]

Leno: You could help him get a green card
[Audience laughs]

Leno: Now you’ve been acting since you were a little kid, right? Since you were ...
Alba: I was 12

Leno: So Flipper was the first thing?
Alba: Kind of my first big thing

Leno: Ok Ok so now I always ask when people are kid actors: Was your first kiss a screen kiss or an off-screen kiss?
Alba: No, I’m afraid to say it was 7 ...

Leno: Oh, you were 7 ...
Alba: I was 7 years old. I was a little early with that kind of stuff, I guess. And a guy promised me to be

Leno: A guy or another kid? (chuckling)
Alba: Another kid, he was eleven!!

Leno: A guy or Drew over there? [gesturing to Drew]
Carey: Yeah, I admit it
Alba: No, Drew, you weren’t there ... sorry

Leno: It’s just a little scary ... a guy saying "hey baby". So, it was another 7 year old boy
Alba: No he was another kid. No, he was 11, you know.

Leno: So an older man
Alba: And he said I could be on his baseball team because I was always picked last. Because I was a girl, and they figured girls can’t play, and my dad always taught me to throw like a man. You know, play ball and if you play ball don’t mess around, so I could play ball and I did it well. But guys didn’t care and never picked me and he said you can be on my team and I’ll pick you first because they always picked me last, so he was like alright. And you just have to end up on whoever’s team.

Leno: But you had to give him a kiss ...
Alba: But, I had to kiss him so I did and next day I was picked last. So, I figured --

Leno: Welcome to Hollywood (laughing)
Alba: That’s men for you.

Leno: Wow, oh, that’s terrible. Ian, you would never do something like that, would you?
Thorpe: Uhm, no [laughs]
Alba: See, he’s just saying that [laughs]
Thorpe: No worries, no worries
Carey: You and I could do a show on ABC

[Alba gratefully hugs Carey]

Leno: You know Drew is really rich
Alba: I got my own money though ...
Carey: I know, that’s why I like women with their own money

Leno: Is that’s a pet peeve of yours? Lying guys?
Alba: Yeah, I can’t deal with that. Nope.

Leno: No, that’s terrible.
Alba: Who wants to put up with that stuff?

Leno: Any other pet peeves? What bothers you about men? What’s another thing that just sticks in your craw?
Alba: Uhm. Well, my brother and my father tend to (and they’re in the audience, by the way) they tend to put the razor that they used that morning next to the toothbrushes. So you get like flakes of hair on your toothbrush. And women, you know what I’m talking about. And the other thing is ... crusted, like toes, next to my coffee cup in the morning.

Leno: Crusted toes?
Alba: Well, most people’s toes are crusted. Most people’s toes are a little bit crusty and they set them up there ‘cause they’re trying to relax. But my coffee cup is there and that’s where I put my lips, my mouth and that’s disgusting

Leno: Okay, in defense of guys, since you brought up the razor issue. How many guys have done this? You put your razor down, your wife shaves her legs a bit and then you go AGHH!!
Alba: [laughs]

Leno: And you’re bleeding from the face. You have done that, thank you, so a little hair in your teeth is not as bad as AGHH!!
Alba: Yeah, it is

Leno: Now, you’re 19? You live at home? Do you have your own place?
Alba: I’m living in a hotel right now

Leno: In a hotel? You’re going to get your own place? Is that what you want to do?
Alba: I did, I did have my own place, but since I’m working, I never really get to have a proper home, but it’s good, ‘cause I’m working. I’m doing this fantastic show.

Leno: Well, geez, you’ve got tremendous ratings and everything. Now obviously you drive because you’re in L.A.
Alba: Yeah

Leno: Have you had your license long? Well, you see I had to get my license ... the day I got my license at 16, I rolled my mom’s car at 16 in one day. Are you a good driver?
Alba: I’m a pretty good driver. I’m an LA driver. You know like go really fast on the right hand lane, cut in front, turn left on red lights, that’s how we have to drive.

Leno: Can you get out of a ticket? You look like you could...
Alba: Well, I got a ticket like after 2 weeks of driving and I was with my dad, of course...

Leno: Right
Alba: I was going, like, 88 and the guy was like I’ll give you a break and say you were going 84. I was like, thanks, so then he told me you can mail me the ticket, like trying to be nice. And I was like, okay, Dad, is this all right? And he was like, "Dad??? I thought he was your boyfriend!" Well, how old are you? I was like 16 and he was like, oh, you’re going to have to go to court, and this is your father and he got all like rough and felt like an idiot because he thought my dad was my boyfriend

Leno: Well, in L.A. that would be the normal case.
Alba: That’s true.

Leno: In L.A. most guys in their 40s date women who are 16 ... In fact, that’s why in L.A. they give menus to the men because the women are too young to read the menu
Alba: I resent that

Leno: No, No, that’s not you, I’m just saying ...
Alba: ‘Cause when I’m in hotels, they do that to me. I’m like, look , I’ve got my credit card here, and I pay for it and I work.

Leno: But, see you’re feisty. I like that. You remind me of my wife when I met her, because she was like, "I’m a woman, yeah," That’s good, see I like that. I like a girl who can pull a punch.
Alba: What is she like now?

Leno: Same way, same way. Now Dark Angel you play...
Alba: Let’s go (Drew laughs)

Leno: You play a genetically enhanced character, is that the best way to describe it?
Alba: Yeah, she’s genetically-engineered

Leno: Now how enhanced is this without making a joke?
Alba: She can see farther. She is really quick

Leno: It’s not x-ray vision?
Alba: Kind of like cat vision. They took the best of the best DNA.

Leno: So you can see mice? Oh no, ok
Alba: She can see in the dark. Yeah she can see farther, she can hear better, and she plays on her intuition and she’s just cool. She rides a bike; she’s cool

Leno: Well, I hope she drives a bike better than Drew Carey
Alba: Yeah, she does

Leno: Well, congratulations on all your success. Will you come back and see us sometime?
Alba: Yeah

Leno: You were great.
Alba: Thank you

Leno: Thank you very m too Jessica Alba. Be right back with Macy Gray right after this.