Jessica Alba's Most Embarrassing Movie Moment Still Haunts Her
The actress opens up about a deeply uncomfortable scene from Fantastic Four that left her feeling exposed and humiliated, revealing how her conservative upbringing made the experience even worse.
Jessica Alba's film career hasn't exactly earned critical acclaim. Her movies rarely score high on Rotten Tomatoes, and the Razzies have noticed her work far more than the Academy Awards ever have. She's never received an Oscar nomination, but that doesn't tell the whole story.
Some of her collaborations with Robert Rodriguez proved successful. Even two decades later, her portrayal of Susan Storm, the Invisible Woman, remains one of her most recognized roles. She was part of the first major Fantastic Four movie adaptation, ignoring that strange unreleased 1990s version most people forgot about.
The Scene That Still Bothers Her
At the 2025 Red Sea Film Festival, Alba discussed a particular moment from the first Fantastic Four film that continues to trouble her. The scene required her character to undress to stay invisible, but when her powers failed, she was left exposed in front of everyone.
"I thought that was awful," Alba explained to reporters. "It was very humiliating in real life. I grew up with a pretty conservative family, and I am a pretty modest person. I dreaded that scene for weeks."
This wasn't Alba's only uncomfortable experience with revealing costumes. She's previously talked about disliking her work on Into the Blue, where she spent most of the underwater thriller wearing a bikini. Studios knew exactly what they were doing during the mid-2000s when Alba was considered one of Hollywood's biggest attractions.
Looking Back at Female Superhero Representation
Despite the embarrassing moments, Alba still appreciates her time playing Susan Storm. She called the character "a woman I looked up to," which makes sense considering the limited options for female superheroes back then.
Comic book movies offered almost no representation for women during that era. The Elektra solo film was such a disaster it nearly destroyed Jennifer Garner's career. Besides Jean Grey in the X-Men series, Susan Storm was one of the few prominent female superheroes on screen.
The Fantastic Four movies might not have impressed everyone, but they remind us what superhero films looked like before the Marvel Cinematic Universe changed everything. The sequel even featured one of Stan Lee's most memorable cameos.
Potential Return to Marvel
With Marvel's first family returning to theaters in 2025, Alba might get another chance at superhero stardom. Chris Evans recently returned as the Human Torch in Deadpool & Wolverine, so precedent exists for bringing back previous cast members.
If Marvel does ask Alba to return, hopefully they'll treat her character with more respect this time around. The industry has changed significantly since those early superhero films, and female characters deserve better than being reduced to embarrassing moments designed purely for shock value.