Jessica Alba explains her desire to produce and shares her opinions on 'Fantastic Four' movies.

At the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia on Friday, Jessica Alba offered an intimate look into her multifaceted life as an actress, entrepreneur, mother, and emerging producer. Participating in the festivals In Conversations With series during her second visit to RSIFF, Alba discussed her career, sharing insights on her time in the Fantastic Four films while focusing on her new role as a producer with her production company, Lady Metalmark Entertainment, which she founded two years ago.

Alba explained her motivation for producing, citing the conclusion of her 12-year leadership at The Honest Company. I wanted to return to my true passionstorytelling. Theres nothing more impactful than a medium that opens hearts and minds, she said.

On why she created her own production company, Alba noted the lack of diverse narratives she observed growing up but avoided placing blame solely on Hollywood. Many decision-makers are white men who feel most comfortable telling stories through their perspective, she commented. She emphasized that women remain underrepresented in leadership roles across entertainment, business, and politics, highlighting it as an untapped opportunity. Women make up 50 percent of the population and control 70 percent of household income. We need content that resonates with us, Alba said, aiming for stories with strong, independent female characters.

Through Lady Metalmark Entertainment, Alba has actively implemented these values. For the 2024 Netflix action film Trigger Warning, which she both starred in and produced, the majority of key creative positions, including director Mouly Surya and cinematographer Zo White, were held by women. Positions in casting, production design, art direction, costume, and makeup were also predominantly female-led.

Alba also aims to reshape Latino representation in Hollywood. Latino stories are often confined to stereotypescartels, drugs, domestic workbut our experiences are much broader. As a producer, I can support filmmakers like me to share authentic human stories, she said.

The actress shared some project news, revealing she is collaborating again with director Robert Rodriguez on a new action project that blends family drama with a heist narrative, featuring an all-Latino cast. Alba and actor Michael Pea originally pitched the concept to Rodriguez, and they are currently presenting it to studios. Additionally, she has been working with Saudi filmmaker Haifaa al-Mansour on a tender story about a daughter and her aging parent.

Reflecting on her past roles, Alba discussed her breakthrough in James Camerons TV series Dark Angel and reminisced about Honey. Regarding her two Fantastic Four films, she described her experience as mostly positive but recalled one particularly difficult nude scene in the first film as humiliating due to her modest upbringing.

When asked about Marvels The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Alba said she hadnt seen it yet but plans to, noting that her children largely determine what family films they watch. I love Marvel; theyre so much fun, she added.

The Red Sea International Film Festival continues through December 13.

Author: Grace Ellison