Jessica Alba Opens Up About Why She Embraces Imperfections in Life
The celebrities who lead the happiest lives are the ones who are proud of what they do. They live every day to the fullest and appreciate what they have.
Jessica Alba is a fantastic example of a talented celebrity who embraces everything life has to offer. She has learned to make the most of her life by appreciating the beauty all around her. Alba follows the philosophy of wabi-sabi—a Japanese aesthetic that focuses on the beauty found in imperfection.
The actor recently discussed wabi-sabi during a Hot Ones interview.
Who is Jessica Alba?
Alba was born in California but moved around a lot as a kid because her father was in the Air Force. She also lived in Mississippi and Texas before returning to California.
Alba was interested in acting at a young age, and already had an agent when she was 12 years old. Her first movie role was in the 1994 film, Camp Nowhere. She also worked as a model and filmed commercials early in her career.
In 2000, Alba landed her breakout role in James Cameron’s sci-fi series Dark Angel. Her character, Max Guevara, was the main protagonist and leader of a group of genetically-engineered kids who had escaped from a military facility that was training them to use as weapons.
In 2003, Alba danced across the big screen in the hip-hop dance film, Honey. She became a superhero in 2005, starring in Fantastic Four. She played Sue Storm, a.k.a. The Invisible Woman. She returned to the superhero role again in 2007, for the film 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
By this time, Alba was a well-known actress and began to appear in several films. Into the Blue, Good Luck Chuck, and The Eye were some of her most popular films. In 2019, she co-starred with Gabrielle Union in the series L.A.’s Finest, a spin-off of the Bad Boys franchise.
Alba is also a talented businesswoman. In 2011, she founded The Honest Company. The eco-friendly company focuses on household products that are both safe and effective.
Jessica Alba on ‘Hot Ones’
Alba recently suffered through her first Hot Ones interview. The First We Feast’s show challenges celebrities to answer questions while sampling some really outrageously spicy wings.
The actress came prepared, using oat milk, yogurt, peanut butter, and a frozen roller ball to combat the burning spices. She answered questions about her career and her business while also discussing the flavors of the hot sauces and suggesting dishes they would work well in.
During Alba’s Hot Ones interview, Sean Evans asked her about her world views. She talked about the wabi-sabi — a Japanese philosophy that embraces and finds the beauty in imperfections — way of life.
“In the end of the day, if you can feel a connection to memories and stories and things that surround you, there’s nothing more beautiful” said Alba of wabi-sabi. “It reminds you to live your life to the fullest.”
What is wabi-sabi?
The concept examines how focusing on achieving perfection can cause a lot of stress and anxiety. Instead of constantly looking for perfection, we should learn to appreciate that beauty that is found all around us.
In 2017, Alba told Us Weekly: “I am an earthy person and I’m a tactile person. There’s this Japanese philosophy called ‘wabi-sabi’ that I sort of live by. It’s enjoying and embracing the imperfections of real life.”
Objects that are cracked, worn, or even broken tell a story. This is true for physical objects as well as our bodies and minds. For example, scars and wrinkles are reminders of everything we have been through in our lives–experiences that have made us better people.
The art of kintsugi is a great example of wabi-sabi. In kintsugi, old cracks in pottery are filled with gold dusted lacquer. These beautiful golden cracks tell a story of the pottery’s life and age and show that nothing stays perfect forever. Sometimes highlighting an object’s flaws can make it even more beautiful.
Wabi-sabi is helpful in leading a more fulfilling life because it promotes acceptance and appreciation. Alba feels that wabi-sabi helps remind us to live life to the fullest. She also believes that the little imperfections encourage us to make important connections to our memories.
