Jessica Alba stars in her new thriller, The Eye.
Fans know Jessica Alba as a stunning superhero, sexy leading lady, and soon-to-be mom. With films releasing left and right last year, the busy 26-year-old is ready to take a break for parenthood – but not till after the release of her new thriller, The Eye.
She plays Sydney, a blind, accomplished violin soloist who undergoes a corneal transplant. The surgery is successful, but she’s not so sure she likes what she starts seeing with her new eyes. We got Alba’s take on researching her character, her favorite horror movies, and oh, some other stuff…like being pregnant.
Fandango: How did you research your character?
Alba: I studied with this girl--her name is Jessica, oddly enough--she’s a vocalist who’s been blind since she was two. She’s getting a master’s degree in classical music at Boston University. She’s lived in Italy and England, travels in planes, subways, taxis, speaks three different languages, goes everywhere by herself, and she’s completely blind but totally self-sufficient. I wanted Sydney to embody her strength. I also learned how to read Braille and walk with a cane at blind orientation centers in L.A. and New Mexico.
Fandango: Did you try to “turn your sight off”?
Alba: If [the shot was] of the side of my face or my back, I closed my eyes while walking. She’s supposed to be disoriented and clumsy, not so sure of herself.
Fandango: Was it harder to pretend you were blind, or pretend you could play the violin?
Alba: The violin was definitely more challenging because to be a soloist, you have to be pretty phenomenal. From your posture to the way you hold the bow and the violin to the way you play the notes, everything is quite specific. Even accomplished musicians practice still 8-12 hours a day. So me trying to come in and do a crash course -- it was nerve-wracking! The directors made it very clear that they didn’t want to use a double, they wanted to show me really playing.
Fandango: How often did you practice?
Alba: About six months every day: lunch, every break I had while filming Fantastic Four and this, and when I got home. I had three different violin teachers! The vibrato was hard.
Fandango: Did you keep the violin, and do you rock out at home now?
Alba: Yeah right! [Laughs] I do have one at home. When I play my dogs run away from me. They try to cover their ears. It’s so horrible. I’m like, I’m sorry! “Happy Birthday” is the least offensive thing I can play. I played everything [in the movie], but it just sounded terrible. It was this screechy, high-pitched, terrible sound.
Fandango: The Eye is a remake of a Chinese horror film. How is the original different from the remake?
Alba: It’s much more of an eastern way of approaching ghosts. It’s not so farfetched for ghosts to be part of people’s consciousness. In western culture, people think ghosts and anything paranormal is crazy and you’re nuts [to believe in them].
Fandango: What are your favorite all-time horror movies?
Alba: The first Nightmare on Elm Street is my absolute favorite: The oblivious teenager in the bed getting sucked in. [Laughs] I’ve had many, many dreams that that was me. I actually didn’t sleep in the middle of my bed for a really long time! Also Psycho, The Birds, Cat People, It.
Fandango: How do kids react when they meet you, having played a superhero?
Alba: A few of them ask me to go invisible. I just say I can’t do it without my suit on. That’s a good answer, because there’s no way I’m putting that suit on unless I’m on set. [Laughs] It’s very sweet, especially little boys and little girls. They’re like, (whispering) “Oh my god, it’s Suzie Storm!”
Fandango: Is it less sweet when it’s 35-year-old men?
Alba: [Laughs] Yeah, they usually have me first take pictures with their kids, and then they go, “And one for me, one for me!” And they get like really close. Eeek!
Fandango: Does it feel good being pregnant?
Alba: No good comes to mind! [Laughs] More like something’s taking over of my body and you kind of just surrender. I might lose it at any moment! It’s amazing because you can’t believe that you can have life growing inside you -- it’s the most incredible thing in the world.
Fandango: At least, having had five movies come out in the past year, you’ll get a break.
Alba: It’s bizarre, trying to live a semi-normal life. I haven’t been around for two years, so I’ve had to get reacquainted with my friends. We have dinner, play board games, see a movie. I get my nails done, go for dog walks. It’s like, being normal.
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