Jessica Alba Recalls ‘Taking Roles to Survive’ at the Start of Her Career

Jessica Alba is looking back at the start of her film career. During a new interview with PEOPLE published on Thursday, June 13, the 43-year-old actress detailed the difficulties she faced when she was starting out as an actress. While recalling the stress of finances when she was younger, Jessica noted that this “puts you on your back foot.”

“You’re not always taking the roles that are the best,” the Trigger Warning star explained. “You’re just taking roles to survive, which teaches grit and perseverance, but I do wish I would’ve had the skill set and the wherewithal to write and to know about writing and directing and producing earlier in my career.”

Now that she serves as an executive producer on her new Special Forces-themed movie, which premieres on Netflix on Friday, June 21, Jessica remembered initially feeling grateful for booking a role at the start of her career but feeling “desperation” to get by financially.

“You’re just so happy to be there and it’s like, ‘Did the check clear?’ ” she said. “And there’s a desperation like, ‘Please God, I need this job. … If they do want to be a performer, then being able to be a producer and a writer, or a director. I think having that leadership role is really important to the art and be part of the art in a way where they feel like they can have more autonomy and there’s more dignity.”

Now as a mom to daughters Honor and Haven and son Hayes — whom she shares with husband Cash Warren — the Dark Angel alum opened up about how she’d feel if any of her children pursued a career in showbiz.

“The thing is, I think if you tell your kid anything, they’re going to do the opposite, right?” Jessica pointed out. “So, I try not to have too strong opinions one way or another.”

Jessica began auditioning when she was 11 years old, landing commercial gigs and roles in multiple independent films. Eventually, she got her big break in the James Cameron-created series Dark Angel. Shortly thereafter, Jessica booked film jobs across various genres and went on to marry her husband in 2008.