Jessica Alba: The Girl Can't Help It! ELLE magazine's December cover star – mother, wife, and Ben Stiller's costar in this month's 'Little Fockers' – is poised to remake her image…as Lucille Ball. Everyone from her director Paul Weitz to Dustin Hoffman says she's going to pull it off. Check out a sneak peek of ELLE's interview and photo shoot with Jessica Alba below!
On owning up to her choice of roles:
"I know I haven't been swimming in the deep end with some of the movies I've done. I wasn't trying to. I knew what they were."
On her personality:
"I'm shy. I don't like being the center of attention. But when I do comedy, I lose all inhibition and introspection. I no longer care."
On gaining confidence in her craft:
"I'd been so afraid of criticism ever since I was young. Every time I'd get a critique or some redirection, I'd always just take it very personally, but now I have no problem with it. It's just a chance to try things a different way. To play more with a character. It also gives me a chance to have some input, to use my voice."
On acting:
"Good actors, never use the script unless it's amazing writing. All the good actors I've worked with, they all say whatever they want to say."
On being selective with her roles:
"The time I'm not spending with my kid has to be worth it, so when I sat down with my agents after I was ready to go back to work, I told them: It's all about the directors."
On her feelings towards being a leading lady:
"Now I prefer I'm not the lead. It's a totally different approach—way better."
On her early comedic inspiration:
"When I was a kid, I watched Lucille Ball every day. I watched Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Peter Sellers."
The December Issue of ELLE Magazine, featuring Jessica Alba, is on newsstands everywhere November 17!
