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Jessica Alba© Getty Images

Jessica Alba makes shocking confession about body image: 'I stopped eating'


UPDATED MAY 22, 2019 6:55 AM EDT

Jessica Alba revealed she stopped eating so she wasn’t “preyed upon” by men in Hollywood. The Honest Beauty founder said she was advised not to wear Pepe Jeans by her family as she was “voluptuous” and had a “booty.” During a panel discussion at In Goop’s Health Summit which took place in Los Angeles on Saturday, May 18, the 38-year-old said: “I was meant to feel ashamed if I tempted men. Then I stopped eating a lot when I became an actress. I made myself look more like a boy so I wouldn’t get as much attention.”

Jessica Alba on Jimmy Fallon© Getty Images
The actress opened up about body image during her early acting days

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Jessica added that she felt “preyed upon” by men when she was starting out, and added, “Nothing about being successful in this business is easy . . . you can’t be bitter.” The mom-of-three was one of the panelists alongside Olivia Wilde, Taraji P. Henson, Busy Philipps and Gwyneth Paltrow, who was moderating.

Olivia Wilde, Taraji P. Henson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba and Busy Philipps© Getty Images
Jessica was one of the panelists at the In Goop Health Summit

On a much lighter and entrepreneurial note, during the female-empowerment discussion, the Sin City actress also explained how an allergic reaction to detergent led her to start The Honest Company. "I wanted to create a brand that stood for safety and health but also had a price point that's accessible to people," she said.

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Since its inception in 2012, the mom-of-three has expanded her brand and launched Honest Beauty in 2015. Although she took a hiatus from acting, Jessica is back on the small screen as she co-stars in L.A.’s Finest, a Bad Boys spinoff, alongside Gabrielle Union.

Jessica Alba © Getty Images
Jessica revealed her family encouraged her not to wear jeans as she was “voluptuous” and had a “booty”

The Golden Globe-nominated actress plays the role of Nancy McKenna, a law enforcer with a complicated past that is now married to an assistant district attorney. The action-filled show is a cultural and female achievement as it features two women of color working together and kicking butt.