Jessica Alba on 'SportsCenter' and other awkward celebrity promotional appearances

Christine Fri, Apr 3, 2009 at 12:53 AM EST

You know, it is just a movie for crying out loud. It is a movie for a sci-fi fantasy comic book.

Paul Sun, Apr 20, 2008 at 04:31 PM EST

I have met Jessica Alba and she's stunningly beautiful but obviously Mestizo - her skin and eyes are dark, as is her hair. I don't know why she's been forced into Ayran drag for "The Fantastic 4" - she's beautiful as she is

Olga Sat, Feb 9, 2008 at 05:21 AM EST

Stephanie hon, "Latino" is not a race. Jessica is obviously nonwhite, but there are many WHITE spanish speakers. Yes, some europeans migrated to places other than the US!

Olga Sat, Feb 9, 2008 at 05:15 AM EST

I agree. Blonde is NOT her color. She looks awful. Genes are funny though, I know a girl who is also half caucasian half amerindian, and looks a LOT more caucasian than Jessica. Jessica seems to have a mostly nonwhite PHENOTYPE.

luvin it* Wed, Sep 19, 2007 at 09:23 PM EST

eww shez a total overrated skank
the only thing gud abouh hur is
well
NOTHING
skank needs to DIE!

David Thu, Aug 2, 2007 at 05:06 PM EST

Hair, eye and skin tone doesnt change your racial face shape. Her wide eyes, broad flat face and short chin, smacks of her fathers Aztec-Mexican features.
Fans should ask themselves if sue storm should be half caucasian half amer-indian. And if so does that mean we can have a caucasian 'shaft' or a Black bruce lee, or even a caucasian 'Moctezuma'. Can we change history for political correctness?
If you do it for caucasian roles you have to do it for other race roles!
Caucasian Malcolm X anyone? Yes? No?

Jess Mon, Jul 2, 2007 at 10:16 PM EST

Uhm, she isn't trying to fit into the Hollywood mold. It was necessary for the film that she was blonde and blue-eyed. You do what you have to for films, it's really not a big deal at all.

bootsycolumbia Fri, Jun 15, 2007 at 04:51 PM EST

Yes, I know there are blond Latinas, but Jessica Alba isn't one. She's a beautiful girl just as she is, so she should stop trying to fit the Hollywood mold and just be her own, beautiful Latina self.

Howard Fri, Jun 15, 2007 at 11:53 AM EST

If you go back and check the first movie (and you can't avoid it on cable this month), you'll see that she was blond and blue-eyed there too, but it looked a lot more natural. The fact that she's blonder and paler (that's the big one) in this movie just makes it look like they want to make her look more caucasian, which saps some of her appeal.

As for Kate Bosworth, physically she'd make a better Sue Storm, but putting her stick figure in the spandex would not have worked. Plus, she didn't have much personality in Superman Returns (that might have been Singer's fault). I thought the casting was good for this series, but it needs a better director and a better script (Hopefully the new one delivers on that front).

GeeMoney Fri, Jun 15, 2007 at 11:35 AM EST

I've always liked Jessica Alba, ever since she was on "Dark Angel", but it's really hard to look at her with those terribly fake blue eyes and that ugly blonde wig (yes people, it's a wig). They would have been better off casting a real blonde in the role, or allowing Jessica to keep her natural brown hair and eyes.

GeeMoney Fri, Jun 15, 2007 at 11:34 AM EST

I've always liked Jessica Alba, ever since she was on "Dark Angel", but it's really hard to look at her with those terribly fake blue eyes and that ugly blonde wig (yes people, it's a wig). They would have been better off casting a real blonde in the role, or allowing Jessica to keep her natural brown hair and eyes.

Stephanie T. Fri, Jun 15, 2007 at 10:31 AM EST

There are blonde Latinas. Talk show host Christina is one, but the costume designer made Alba look really blonde, almost white blonde which is unrealistic. She just looks like a burn victim.

bootsycolumbia Fri, Jun 15, 2007 at 04:42 AM EST

That photo of JA is really bad. The blond hair is hideous, and don't get me started on those blue contacts. This woman needs to take control of her own career, and fast. And don't tell me she's being exploited. She's an adult now. I admire and respect Latina actresses who are proud of their heritage. America Ferrera, Salma Hayek, Eva Longoria, Rosie Perez, and even Jennifer Lopez, as maligned as she's been at times, have never changed their appearance that drastically for a role (correct me if I'm wrong). Hopefully, Ms. Alba will take some acting classes, seek out some challenging roles, and avoid using terms like "my hotness" in the future.

Earl Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 05:14 PM EST

I like Jessica Alba in some ways. Clearly, shes gorgeous and looks great onscreen, plus she seems like a really nice person in real life with a good moral center.
But shes not much of an actor, and never actually seems to go after the roles that could make her better.

She does seem a little oddly cast as Sue Storm for sure. She sure doesn't look like Johnny Storm's sister! Heres a better casting choice for that role...Kate Bosworth! She'd make a much better Sue than Lois Lane. Miscast in that one.

Melissa Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 04:03 PM EST

Man, oh man. Am I the ONLY one out there who thinks that Jessica is over-rated? I think she falls WAY below average on the "hotness" scale. It's a good thing she's an AMAZING actor who picks movies and roles that are sure to be considered by the Academy.

Ceballos Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 03:55 PM EST

...the thing is I'm REALLY pulling for Alba to succeed and become a major Latina movie star in Hollywood...that's why it's so frustrating that she hasn't delivered the goods yet.

Also, the Fantastic Four thing is really a tough spot for her. I mean, I LOVE that the producers stepped outside the box and hired an exotic-looking Latina for a role that's typically blonde-haired and blue-eyed. So if she looks like herself in the movie, you've got fanboys whining that she doesn't look enough like Sue Storm, but if she does what she did, she ends up looking like bizarre and like one of the "White Chicks" nice catch Ep, and everyone just says "well, if you're gonna change her, why didn't you just cast a white actress to begin with?"

So, it goes back to what I said at the beginning: I just wish she would deliver on screen and get the clout to make whatever movies she wants to make and look however she wants to look.

Freddie Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 03:53 PM EST

I think it's ok for a director to take some artistic license with characters as portrayed in movies vs. how they appear in the original content. In this case, the changes with JA look horrible; it would have been better to simply keep her natural appearance. But let's face it, having her in this role makes as much sense as Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane. As far as JA's looks being overrated, sure - you can say that about most actresses. Pretty Woman Julia Roberts? Horse.

Stephanie T. Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 03:36 PM EST

The next time casting directors want a Latino with really blonde hair, they should just look for an albino. Problem solved.

Ep Sato Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 03:13 PM EST

Ceballos, you make a great point. Halle Berry showed off her goodies in Swordfish, and all they had to do was give her more $$$. Alba could have done the same, and I agree that in a movie made by a guy with a clear butt and nipple fetish that she was by far the most overdressed woman in the movie. It did in some way also detract from that character. So, point taken.

I liked her in Dark Angel and wish they had kept her as a dark haired hermana. Eva Longoria's making it as a dark haired latina, is there some sort of Hollywood limit on brunettes?

With the Contacts and the bleach blonde hair, she looks kind of like the Wayans brothers did in "White Girls"...

V.M.L. Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 02:51 PM EST

Alba is getting exploited. She's only getting casted in dumb movies because of her looks. I think she got the part in the FF movies because of her looks too.

furry_tom Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 02:39 PM EST

RE: do they really care bout you and i
Wait, are you saying that Paris Hilton doesn't really care about me?

effidred Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 02:09 PM EST

well in todays world a star never passes the opportunity to promote or showcase whatever it is thier currently on......and we the consuner of the music,movie are so in it and make them more popular and richer.
but my question is do they really care bout you and i?

Stephanie T. Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 01:59 PM EST

I agree Howard. If the casting director wanted a real blonde which Sue Storm is supposed to be (and if I recall she was supposed to be somewhat in her mid thirties)the person should have gotten a real blonde, and not "...and I'm disco barbie (Never Been Kissed)". With Jess, the character could have been changed to a sunkissed brunette Latino woman. I don't think that it would have really made a difference because it is a movie. Besides with Spiderman and X Men,comic book plots and characters were changed so that they could fit into the movies.

Janice Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 01:58 PM EST

Sue Storm as a character has always been blonde haired and blue eyed... which was why Alba always seemed a weird choice for the role to me.

dMatrang Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 01:46 PM EST

Part 1 of the Johnny Depp Pirates interview:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uLNvIooiHsg&mode=related&search=

Cato Chris Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 01:43 PM EST

So glad you guys posted about the blue contacts. I saw that in the film's still and it jumped out at me, I didn't remember seeing them in the first FF. As a non-comic-book-expert, I don't know the story of how/why they change? Anyone know? Please don't tell me it's not in the comic, they just did it for fun...

dMatrang Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 01:41 PM EST

Seriously, I cann't believe nobody posted this one. It's a recent Pirates Promo Tour for Depp. He is very gracious in it, but talk about crazy!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=liOJyvcYM_E

Darth Nihilus Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 01:26 PM EST

Jessica Alba is great - stop your whining and get over it.

If she did not take her clothes off for her role as Nancy the stripper in Sin City - so what? Go buy a Playboy and do your business if it was so important to you - Sinj City is still a good movie.

Jason Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 01:11 PM EST

She has exactly the same expression in every scene of every movie she's ever done - blank. Ethnic actors - men or women - are a breath of fresh air, to be sure. But how hard is it to find talented ones, I'm looking in your direction Halle.

Ceballos Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 12:58 PM EST

Ep, I read that too, and I totally respect her decision (and any other actress or actor) to not want to do nudity on film, I really do...that stuff's gonna be out there FOREVER.

That being said, if that's how she really feels, how about NOT accepting a role as a STRIPPER in a movie with a hard R rating? I mean, one of the major sells of the movie was how it was a near exact recreation of Frank Miller's drawings...and if you've seen Miller's drawings of "That Yellow Bastard", then you know Alba's character was severely overdressed in the movie. I'm not one of those guys that automatically shouts "show us your boobs", but that specific scenario was unrealsitic to the point of being distracting and taking me out of the movie.

So to summarize: she can't act, her movies stink, and she won't even do nudity (show us your boobs!) when a role reasonably calls for it. And this is an "A-list actress? Ick.

KingLouieXVIII Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 12:49 PM EST

As far as painfun-to-watch promotional appearances go, Tom Cruise takes the cake. We all remember the infamous couch-jumping Oprah incident, but let's not forget the times he attempted to be all "gangsta" on BET while pimping movies like COLLATERAL and MISSION IMPOSSIBLE III. Any Johnny Depp or Sean Penn interviews are also cringe-inducing b/c these guys have ZERO personality off the set.

As far as Ms. Alba is concerned, I agree that she's not the most talented actress. But I think her appeal is so great b/c she is a breath of fresh air in a Hollywood scene rampang with blonde, anorexic, white girls. There's an exotic quality about JB that makes a lot of people (including me) sit up and take notice. Though I do not appreciate the was producers are making her more white by the day in order to expand her appeal. Those blue contacts look horribly fake!

furry_tom Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 12:48 PM EST

The second most awkward moment on Letterman (behind Crispin Glover trying to kick him in the head), Harvey Pekar trying to pick a fight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBr4NxujLvw

Howard Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 12:38 PM EST

Stephanie, her whole appearance in FF2 looks fake. The lighter skin, the lighter hair, basically anything that makes her look less "ethnic" (As if the fanboys couldn't deal with a slightly Latina Sue Storm). That Tim Story was able to make her look less attractive is reason alone that he shouldn't get FF3 if they make it (some of the dialogue from the first flick is reason enough; at least they sacked the writers from that one).

I love Jessica Alba; I love that you usually can't count her ribs when she's in a bikini and I love that she looks a little unique. But she loses a little hotness when she uses the expression "my hotness". Just the way it is.

Ep Sato Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 12:31 PM EST

Ceballos,

From what I read in her Sin City interviews, Alba didn't go nude for fear of upsetting her dad. To date, the viewing audience has never gotten to see her tatas or nana, and that's how Ms. Alba wants to keep it.

Agreed she's a little overratted. That "all swimsuit" movie that opened opposite of Serenity was a piece of garbage...

Janice Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 12:23 PM EST

Also - I'm totally agreed with everyone about Alba being overrated... I read an article in InStyle yesterday dubbing her an "A-List" actress. Is it me, or do A-listers not appear on freakin' Sportscenter.

Ceballos Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 12:12 PM EST

Also, I'm with the person that commented right before me? What's the big deal about Alba? I mean, I get that she's hot, but so were like (literally) hundreds of other girls on the UF campus I went to school at a few years ago.

I was flipping through that gallery of hers that Ew.com had up showing her career...and pretty much all her movies thus far stink. Except, of course, for "Sin City"...where she played the stripper that doesn't take off her clothes.

janice Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 12:12 PM EST

Whoever put her in those blue contacts needs to be fired. Period. If memory serves - she didn't have them in the first film.

Ep Sato Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 12:11 PM EST

Prince once did a performance on Letterman to promote an album he decided to shelve on the day of the performance. It struck me as odd.

And while it's standard fare now, Bill Clinton's campaign visits on Arsenio Hall and his town hall with MTV's "Choose or Lose" were both unusual and unique at the time.

And finally, Eleanor Holmes Norton's been able to promote DC voting rights thanks to several (Awkward) appearances on the Colbert Report. Talk about an odd way to get support for a cause...

Ceballos Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 12:10 PM EST

I just hope people will be able to see past my hotness and ready my post.

I also caught Jessica Alba on Sportscenter last night...it was also as awkward as that one time Robert DeNiro appeared on...well ANYTHING really. Have you ever seen that guy be interviewed while he's trying to plug a movie...it's SO painful. I'm always a bit fascinated how actors with such outsize personalities on screen (like DeNiro or Depp) can be so shy and awkward in person.

Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 12:05 PM EST

For the life of me, I can't understand what the big deal is with Jessica Alba. She's not especially talented or especially pretty. She's got a decent body, I guess, but so do millions of other people. Go away, Jessica Alba.

Stephanie T. Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 11:51 AM EST

She needs to stop bleaching her hair. It looks fake.