Jessica Alba Quotes

I just don't have a great feeling about what we're doing in Iraq. I don't know why we're there. Didn't we just give the power back over there? Why are we still there? [July 2004]

"My father is Mexican and very dark; my mother is very fair. I used to always get [script] breakdowns for things like Maria, the janitor's daughter who hangs around with white kids. I was born in the United States. I never thought about it until the industry made me think about being a Latin girl. It seemed like such a bizarre thing." (commenting on racial stereotyping).

"The most important thing I have learned in life was that being a teenager wasn't forever. I had a hard time being a teenager."

"I don't hang out with the Hollywood cool people. I'm not out trying to make friends with people because they're famous."

"I have my own spiritual thing, but am not part of an organized religion. I think religion is very special and individual to each person."

"I don't need to be in the press or seen. Just because I'm not in magazines or because I'm not in a movie doesn't mean I'm going away. It just means I have some sense of integrity."

"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."

'I used to come to Beverly Hills for auditions as a kid and think, "Why don't I live here? Why don't I drive that car?"'

'I wasn't given a whole lot in my life. I was on the bottom of the class system. But I got wisdom. I never just did what people told me. I questioned everything. When I look back, it is really no surprise that I started working at 12.'

'From a very early age, I remember thinking that adults were always acting like assholes. I couldn't understand why I had to respect them. My pre-school teacher forced me to write right-handed when I was left-handed. I didn't get why I had to change. Nobody could give me a reason. I have had a big problem with authority ever since.'

On being raised by young parents: 'We all grew up together. My parents were so young. My dad hates it when I talk about our past, about not having things, living with Grandma, wearing thrift-store clothes, cutting coupons.'

On learning Spanish: 'I have a great accent because I grew up hearing it in the neighbourhood. But I have no idea what I'm saying.'

On growing up in L.A.: 'I never really belonged anywhere. I wasn't white. I was shunned by the Latin community for not being Latin enough. My grandfather was the only one in our family to go to college. He made a choice not to speak Spanish in the house. He didn't want his kids to be different.'

'It's not always so great to be objectified but I don't feel I have much of a choice right now. I'm young in my career. I know I have to strike when the iron is hot. I look forward to the day when I can do a small movie and act and it's not about me wearing a bathing suit or chaps.'