Sin City provided Jessica Alba with some of the most nerve wracking days of her professional life. But it was worth it.
After all, when you are playing an exotic dancer who has to perform on a bar top in front of a crowd of leering guys (even if those guys aren't actually there) it's a pretty daunting experience.
"A lot of the other cast were put into the scene later in the editing room," she explains. "Even when I was dancing on the green screen, there was still a lot of crew around so it was as if I was in a bar and a bunch of people were looking up so it was just as nerve wracking."
To Ms Alba's eternal credit, she does one impressive job. Just ask her director, Robert Rodriguez: "Jessica was just fantastic. It wasn't easy for her, but she was just great."
Ms Alba, 24, is on the verge of big time stardom. The release of Frank Miller's Sin City - followed by her role as The Invisible Girl in The Fantastic Four and the underwater action adventure Into The Blue - will let the rest in on to what millions of fans already know - this beautiful young actress is destined for a glittering career.
Jessica has already achieved considerable success playing the lead in James Cameron's television series, Dark Angel. Her film credits include Never Been Kissed, Idle Hands and Honey.
In Frank Miller's Sin City she plays Nancy, a little girl who was rescued from a monstrous kidnapper by a rugged, determined cop Hartigan (Bruce Willis) who then pays the ultimate price for his heroism when he is framed for the crime himself.
When someone comes to you and says 'we want you to play a stripper with a whip.' How do you react to that?
That wasn't quite how it was presented to me (laughs). It was a Robert Rodriquez movie with a character who was so earnest and so innocent and madly in love with this man who had sacrificed his whole life for her - and then I saw the pictures and I was like 'oh man, those are naked!' (laughs). And then I said 'would it be a problem if I don't do the nudity?' Because I don't feel comfortable doing topless or bottomless and Robert said it was OK and I didn't have to do that and Frank agreed and that's how it went down.
So this is a romantic movie for you?
Yeah, it was. It was this really romantic, beautiful story about love and soul mates and these two people that know this truth and are constantly being shut down and then they come together.
Which is a big contrast to the depravity of Sin City?
Yes, there's light and heart in my character's story whereas everything else is so heavy and so down, there is so much weight on everybody. Nancy is so free. She is the only innocent in Sin City. I don't think any of the others are.
Do you create a back-story for a character like this?
Yeah, you know, what I came up with in agreement with Robert (Rodriguez) and primarily with Frank (Miller) was maybe what Nancy had in her relationship with Hartigan, why it's so intense, is because it's essentially because he is the only person that really knows her. So everything, her growth as a person, what she was thinking, her best friend, her family, anything you would go through with individual people she went through with one person, in her letters to him. So it was kind of like a diary, an eight-year diary. So that was mostly what we talked about because it directly pertains to the relationship when he comes into her life and how intense it is in that instant when she sees him,
How did you react when you saw the finished film?
I loved it.
What about when you are on stage and dancing?
I didn't like it so much (laughs). I was in love with Rosario's (Dawson) character, I thought she was really cool. And Clive's (Owen) character, I thought he was cool.
Would you have preferred to have more of a part like Rosario's character?
I've played that type of girl before, but she is just so sexy and so commanding and it almost seemed like she enjoyed getting smacked because she couldn't wait to smack 'em back or something.
Does it make you proud to be part of such a ground-breaking movie?
Yes, when we were shooting we were proud to be part of it. We knew it was going to be incredible.
How was it on set with the other girls?
Well, I didn't really work with any of them, but we were all out there hugging and kissing each other all the time (laughs). They are beautiful women.
But you did a lot with Bruce Willis. How was that?
He's great.
What was it like 'making out' with Bruce Willis?
Well, the way you make it sound was like some teenage make out steamy car thing (laughs) and it was actually a very romantic grand passionate kiss and we spent a lot of time trying to make it as epic a moment as we could.
What did you think of their relationship in the story?
I think it's beautiful. I think it's a really beautiful love story and I think his sacrifice is unbelievable, you know somebody who sacrifices their life for somebody is the most beautiful, romantic thing.
You studied theatre with William H. Macy, has that helped prepare you for roles like this?
If you sat down with Bill, he's not a very serious guy. The technique is serious I guess but I approach it all the same way. If I was sitting there poking fun at what I do in this movie then nobody would believe it was real. I do everything with conviction so whether I do a movie that is the heightened reality of a comic book or a heightened reality in a movie it's no different. I think every good movie is ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.
You've been working non-stop for the last year. Is a vacation on the cards?
No, I don't think so. I think I'm going to live here and enjoy my house and see what happens with Fantastic Four and see where I can go next with my career.
Are you nervous about that?
Yeah, a little. I want to see it, for sure. The special effects look really good.
It's a big summer for you with all of these films coming out. How do you think that will change your life?
I don't know. We'll see how it goes. I don't really think about it too much, I just want them to do well and I want to continue to do this for a living.
How was it acting with the green screen?
Well we had a bar set and then we also had a stage with green all around. Even when I was dancing on the green screen, there was still a lot of crew around so it was as if I was in a bar and a bunch of people were looking up so it was just as nerve wracking.
In terms of the craft of acting, were you comfortable with that?
Well, you know Robert had shown us some pictures of the set that he had already taken and some footage and with Frank's books, I pretty much knew what I was looking at.
Did you know Frank's books before taking the part?
No, I'd never seen them before. But when I did I thought they were excellent, I never knew comic books were written so well. I thought they were larger than life super hero stories and I never really thought of them like this. They are very dark, very complicated.
What did you think of the dialogue?
To me it's like film noir, classic, it's like the way people spoke back in the thirties and forties and there's a rhythm to the dialogue that we just don't have anymore and it was neat to play with that and find that rhythm.,
What about the visual style. Does that dominate everything else?
No. I think the style enhances the film. It put the movie on a pedestal and never took away from it and I think it brought to life all of our characters being surrounded by all these great visuals, the black and white, all the contrasts.
Was it essential that Frank Miller was on set?
Yes, he created this world, he invented these characters, he has been through everyone of their journeys, I think he needed to be there because this is his baby.
What was it like to witness the relationship between Frank Miller and Robert Rodriquez?
They are kindred spirits but completely polar opposites. From Robert being a musician, very out going, being a star himself and then Frank is very internal and very intense and very quiet. But they got along like apples and oranges.
Was there a feeling among the actors of being part of something ground breaking?
Everybody knew it was going to be cool, everybody knew it was going to be pushing the boundaries, everybody knew it was going to be special. I don't know how you can do the movie and not think that.
Did you ever feel that the film ever bordered on the misogynistic?
No, I thought it was kind of empowering. All the women were very strong, very opinionated, living their own lives. No, not at all. If anything there was a lot more violence towards the men in this movie. You saw Mickey Rourke get the crap beaten out of him several times (laughs). I was like 'oh no, not again!
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