Jessica Alba was critical of her miserable Fantastic Four experience back in the day. In recent years, she has looked back fondly at the franchise.

Jessica Alba has worked her way up in the industry and has starred in some of the most popular film and TV projects over the years. Her breakout role came with James Cameron’s Dark Angel which turned her career around. Other projects that elevated her reputation as a movie star were Sin City and the two Fantastic Four films by Tim Story.

Jessica Alba as Sue Storm in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer | Credits: 20th Century Fox

Alba played Sue Storm in the latter and it became her most celebrated role. She did not have the best experience while making the films. However, she looks back fondly on the franchise and has inspiring words for Vanessa Kirby who would be taking over the role in the upcoming Fantastic Four film set in the MCU.

Jessica Alba Cherished Her Fantastic Four Days and Advises Vanessa Kirby To Have Fun With The Role

Jessica Alba had some rough days while shooing the Fantastic Four films | Credits: 20th Century Fox

Jessica Alba played Sue Storm/ Invisible Woman in the two Fantastic Four movies under Fox in the 2000s. While the films do not have the best reputation among fans, Alba’s performance received praise and remains her most popular role. Despite the fame and recognition that the role brought her, Alba had one of the worst experiences of her career while shooting the films.

The actress once revealed that her horrible experience on the second Fantastic Four film made her want to quit acting (via Far Out Magazine). Director Tim Story weirdly insisted that she cry in a pretty way as her acting felt too sad and real during her death scene in the film. Alba grew tired of the hypocrisy and sexist attitude of the industry at the time.

Surprisingly, The Sin City star has been reflecting positively on her experiences in the two films recently, even expressing her desire to reprise the role if Marvel wanted her to. Vanessa Kirby is now going to play Sue Storm in the 2025 Fantastic Four film and Alba has nothing but encouraging words for her. The actress described her Fantastic Four experience as one of the best of her life and advised Kirby to have fun and soak in the fanfare around the franchise. She told Collider,

I think just have fun. The fans are so amazing. “It was probably one of the best times of my life, going around the world and meeting all of the people that just love The Fantastic Four and love these comic books and can relate to these stories. So I’d tell her to just have fun and soak in the moments.

Alba seems to have let go of the miserable side of the filming experience and is fondly remembering how the role greatly catapulted her career. The actress wants the role to do the same for Kirby. Her advice is inspiring and proves that she is excited for Kirby to take on the iconic role and see her take on it.

Jessica Alba Feels Sue Storm Was Ahead Of Her Time In The 2000s Superhero Film Space

Napoleon star Vanessa Kirby will play Sue Storm in The Fantastic Four: First Steps | Credits: Columbia Pictures

The superhero films in the 2000s were mostly dominated by male characters with the X-Men, Spider-Man, Daredevil, etc. However female characters such as Storm, Jean Grey, etc stood out as bonafide women characters that had intriguing arcs. Fantastic Four‘s Sue Storm was also one of the female superheroes that made a big impression on fans at the time.

In an interview with Comicbook.com, Jessica Alba revealed that she loved playing the Invisible Woman, and starring in the franchise changed her life in many ways. The character was ahead of her time as she felt she had the perfect feminine energy mixed with the badassery of being a superhero. Alba said,

It’s nothing but fond memories. loved it so much playing that character. I feel like my whole life started in a lot of ways at that moment. It was great and she was such a cool, inspiring character and ahead of her time, I would say, in the genre. And still, you still haven’t seen someone who is so nurturing and feminine, but then also a fearsome badass. 

Alba expressed her excitement for Vanessa Kirby stepping into the role for the new Fantastic Four film and wished her the best. As for her, the Sin City actress was recently seen in the Netflix action film Trigger Warning.

The MCU’s Fantastic Four film will hit theatres on July 25, 2025. Fans can watch Alba as Sue Storm in Tim Story’s Fantastic Four films on Disney+.