Jessica Alba interview

The star talks motherhood, nutty movies ("The Love Guru") and mysticism.

By Monica Collins

Jessica Alba is a little gaga. It's not because she has a potentially big movie with Mike Myers, "The Love Guru." about to hit theaters (June 20). Alba, 27 and newly married, has another major production on her mind -- the impending birth of her first child.

This is Hollywood, and, of course, the blessed event is complete with chandelier in the nursery, exotic moniker ("Honor" was being bandied) and starry shower. And by the time you read this, she already may be a proud new mother.

In "The Love Guru." she plays the levelheaded love object, the foil for Myers' manic mystic: "I'm kind of the straight woman throughout," she tells us while multi-tasking diva-style, getting her hair and makeup done for a photo shoot. "For the most part, the goofy stuff is left to everyone else."

Even before they married on May 19, the actress and her husband, film producer Cash Warren, 29, had settled into a $4 million Beverly Hills home with their three dogs to await the birth of their child. Alba says, "It's a lot of stress to buy a house, have a baby and get married in six months. It's a lot of life-changing decisions. I'm really, really secure and happy in my relationship."

Here's more from our talk with Alba.

Tell us about your role in "The Love Guru."
I am a huge fan of Mike and his work. He is a freakin' comic genius. My character inherits this hockey team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. They haven't won a game, and the city of Toronto basically blames her and her family. She thinks you have to heal from within, and she believes in Eastern philosophies. One of the books she reads is the Love Guru's.

Do you have a spiritual side?
I grew up in a Catholic home and then I went into a more Eastern approach on my own. I think there's something to be said for herbs and meditation and things like that.

What's been your least favorite movie role?
There are quite a few.I feel like more than anything, I'm at the beginning of my career. I'm hoping to hit my groove when I'm in my 30s and 40s.

Let's talk about the baby. Have you gotten any outrageous offers for photos?
I haven't really gotten any -- notthat I'm aware of. You have to understand, everything that is written is kind of bull ...

Do you have a chandelier in the nursery like Jennifer Lopez?
Actually, I do. I got a really beauti- ful one.

Do you plan to nurse?
Yeah, I'm definitely going to try to do everything to give the baby as much nourishment as possible.

About nourishment, what was the last thing you cooked?
Last night we had halibut soft tacos and a really amazing vegetable salad and panini doughnuts. You buy regular or apple fritter doughnuts and make a panini -- Cash's favorite.

You were criticized for disrespecting your Hispanic heritage. On a census, what would you check?
I always check white and Hispanic.

You said you can't wait to meet your brown baby. What do you mean?
I mean my dad is dark-skinned [Mexican], Cash's daddy is dark-skinned [African-American], and our moms are both white. So there's a 50-50 chance of our kid coming out dark or light. It would be nice if the daddies can see themselves in our baby.

Do you think, especially after this presidential election, that we won't be so obsessed with skin color as a nation?
I think my generation is the last generation that sees color. In this next generation coming up, everybody is mixed. And I think with people like Jennifer Lopez and Halle Berry being out there opening movies and having clothing lines and pushing the idea of ideal beauty, [the ideal isn't] Christie Brinkley anymore. You don't have to look like Barbie.