That’s right—Alba was a serious contender for the part of the savvy spy, which Hathaway eventually rocked alongside Steve Carell.
Alba, already known for her roles in Dark Angel, Fantastic Four, and Sin City, gave her audition everything she had. She totally embodied Agent 99, bringing confidence and charisma to the table. According to Backstage magazine, her audition tape showcased impressive vocal range and spot-on body language.
Even though Hathaway snagged the role, Alba took it like a pro. She shared, “I wasn’t bitter enough to be upset about missing out.” Instead, she enjoyed Get Smart when it hit theaters and kept making waves in Hollywood.
While Hathaway and Carell’s chemistry made Get Smart a box office hit, Alba’s audition proves she had the chops for the role. After missing out, Alba continued to shine in films and co-founded The Honest Company. It’s fun to think about how Agent 99 could’ve looked with Alba, but Hathaway definitely brought her own magic to the role.
Breaking the s*x symbol mold: Jessica Alba’s candid struggles and triumphs
Jessica Alba recently got candid about the struggles she faced early in her career as a s*x symbol. On Trevor Noah’s What Now?, Alba talked about how her early roles, like dancing in Honey and donning a skin-tight suit in Fantastic Four, pigeonholed her into the “s*x symbol” category.
“I think that no matter what role, whether I was doing like a dance movie, you know, to inspire young girls like Honey, or if I was Dark Angel, where I was a genetically engineered, like, super human, or if I was Sue Storm, who was a very, like, maternal kind of superhero, they would always feel like they needed to sell me to the fanboys in a certain way,” Alba shared. She went on to say, “There were like two or three of these men’s magazines that we would all do to, you know, try and get those fanboys to go and show up and watch whatever it is that we were selling.”
Alba’s stance wasn’t just about magazine covers. She also took a stand against nudity in films. For instance, she asked director Robert Rodriguez to cut the s*x scenes from Machete. She revealed, “I would be embarrassed if my family saw me on-screen in my birthday suit,” which shows she’s firm about maintaining her boundaries.
Trevor Noah also touched on Alba’s desire to take on behind-the-scenes roles, which led her to co-found The Honest Company. Alba admitted it took time for her to shake off the stereotypes and embrace her intellectual side. “It’s tough for them to imagine that you could be intelligent, that you could have a soul, that you could have depth of emotions, or be dynamic in any way,” she said.
Now, Alba’s set to star in and co-executive produce Trigger Warning, a Netflix action film where she plays a fierce Special Forces commando. From what we’ve seen, her character Parker is all about action—knives, machetes, and guns—showcasing Alba’s evolution beyond the “s*x symbol” label.
Jessica Alba’s journey reflects her resilience and commitment to proving she’s more than just a pretty face.
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