Jessica Alba: Actress who means business

Acting allows Jessica Alba to be vulnerable and free, but she also enjoys being calculated and strategic as a businesswoman

Jessica Alba (left) and Gabrielle Union (right) play tough-as-nails police officers with complicated histories in the new series, L.A.'s Finest.
Jessica Alba (left) and Gabrielle Union (right) play tough-as-nails police officers with complicated histories in the new series, L.A.'s Finest. PHOTO: SONY PICTURES TELEVISION
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If you know Jessica Alba only as an actress, it may surprise you to learn she has quietly built a successful business outside of Hollywood - one that was valued at US$1.7 billion in 2015.

But even though the star of the 2005 and 2007 Fantastic Four films co-founded The Honest Company and personally grew it from the ground up, she tells The Straits Times that many people assume she is just a figurehead in the business, which launched in 2011 and sells eco-friendly personal-care and home-goods products.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 15, 2019, with the headline Jessica Alba: Actress who means business. Subscribe