Jessica Marie Alba ( AL-bə; born April 28, 1981) is an American actress and businesswoman. She rose to prominence at age 19 for portraying Max Guevara, the lead character in the television series Dark Angel (2000–2002), for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. Her cinematic breakthrough came shortly after with the lead role in Honey (2003).
Alba began her acting career at age 13 in Camp Nowhere, followed by The Secret World of Alex Mack (both 1994). She soon established herself as a Hollywood actress, and has starred in numerous box office hits throughout her career, including Fantastic Four (2005), Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), Good Luck Chuck (2007), The Eye (2008), Valentine's Day (2010), Little Fockers (2010), and Mechanic: Resurrection (2016). She is a frequent collaborator with director Robert Rodriguez, having starred in Sin City (2005), Machete (2010), Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011), Machete Kills (2013), and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014).