All About Jessica Alba's Parents, Mark and Catherine Alba

'Trigger Warning' actress Jessica Alba credits her parents for her success

Jessica Alba has been family-oriented since her childhood years in California with her parents Mark and Catherine Alba.

The actress and entrepreneur was born on April 28, 1981, a few months after her parents tied the knot. Due to her dad’s career in the Air Force, the family, including Jessica's younger brother Joshua, moved around the United States throughout her childhood.

“My parents were young when they had my brother and I, and they did what they could to get by,” she told Porter in 2019. “I definitely grew up in a home where we were living paycheck to paycheck; both of my parents were juggling up to three jobs each.”

Related: Jessica Alba and Cash Warren's Relationship Timeline

Along with an ambitious spirit, Jessica’s parents also offered her support and encouragement throughout her life. In 2024, the actress thanked both of her parents in a sweet Father’s Day post.

After a heartfelt message to her husband, she went on to praise her dad, Mark. “You have been there for me no matter what through thick and thin which has meant the world,” she wrote in the caption. “You (and mom) were the first to really encourage my independence and I’m so grateful. I love you dearly.”

From their careers to their family values, here’s everything to know about Jessica Alba’s parents, Mark and Catherine Alba.

They got married in 1981

Mark and Cathy met and fell in love as teenagers before getting married in January 1981.

The couple, who renewed their vows in 2011, have been married for over four decades. For their 43rd wedding anniversary in 2024, Mark celebrated with a heartfelt Instagram post.

“We love being married and having such a wonderful family. Our two beautiful children found their true Loves and gave us 5 wonderful grandchildren. We’re so proud of all of them,” he wrote.

They share two children

A little over a year after Jessica was born, Mark and Cathy welcomed their son Joshua.

Being so close in age, the two developed a strong bond with one another and even did a joint interview on the Sibling Revelry podcast with Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson in 2021.

That same year, Jessica gave her baby brother a shout-out on Instagram. “Happy Birthday to my lil bro. I’m grateful for you and I love you dearly, my OG roll dog,” she wrote. “Wish we lived closer and saw more of each other."

Related: Jessica Alba's 3 Kids: All About Honor, Haven and Hayes

Along with their two children, Mark and Cathy are grandparents to Jessica’s three kids, Honor, Haven and Hayes, and Joshua’s two kids.

Mark was in the Air Force

Jessica was born in California but, due to her father’s military career, spent some of her childhood in Mississippi and Texas.

In a 2012 interview with Fortune, the actress explained that, after he learned he was going to become a father, Mark decided to join the Air Force. “My mother was 18, and he wanted to get an education, and he wanted to support his family, and so the military allowed him to do that,” Jessica shared. “He went into the Air Force.  We lived on a couple different bases.”

Mark served in the Air Force until Jessica was 9. After that, he started a real estate company, and the family moved back to Southern California, where they lived with her grandparents until she was 16.

“I was lucky that my grandparents were super involved in helping raise us whenever my parents needed the extra hands or financial help when times got tough,” she told Porter.

The Trigger Warning actress celebrated her military upbringing in 2022 with a Veteran’s Day post on Instagram. “Honoring those who have served to protect us and our freedom 🙏🏽 Sending so much love and gratitude ❤️,” she wrote. “A special thank you to my family - uncle Bobby, my grandma, grandpa and of course, my papasito.”

Jessica’s mom helped her navigate early fame

When she was 11, Jessica won an acting/modeling competition that opened the door for Hollywood auditions. She landed her first role soon after and began her career at the age of 13.

Being a child star can come with its own set of struggles, but Jessica was able to navigate the industry with the guidance of her mother.

“I could have been a potential target for a predator, but luckily, I wasn’t. There were a few times when things felt uncomfortable, but they never escalated too much, thankfully. I’m truly grateful to God for this because many others haven’t been as fortunate, especially starting out young as I did,” she told Elle India in March 2024. “Having my mom with me all the time really made a difference.”

In a Mother’s Day post on Instagram, she thanked her mom for being so supportive.

“We got to grow up together and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Thank you for being my biggest cheerleader since day 1 - I love you so much 💞,” Jessica wrote.

Cathy helped inspire Jessica's company

Although she started out as an actress, Jessica has since become well-known for building a wellness empire. She co-founded The Honest Company, a lifestyle brand of clean beauty, baby and household cleaning products, in 2012.

Over the years, Jessica has spoken about the inspiration behind her brand, including an experience with an allergic reaction during her first pregnancy. But, Honest was also largely inspired by her mom, Cathy.

Speaking to Romper about her motivation in 2021, Jessica opened up about her and her mom’s health struggles. “My mother had cancer at a really young age, in her early 20s. I grew up with chronic illness,” she shared. "That's really what motivated me."

In 2015, she expanded her brand to include skincare and makeup products with the launch of Honest Beauty. Again, Cathy was a large inspiration for her.

“I've always been a makeup and beauty enthusiast. My mom wouldn't leave the house without her face on—not even to take me to school or to just go to the grocery store. And we never had any money growing up, but she still always had her face together,” she told Coveteur in 2021. “My mom loves a red lip, black eyeliner, strong blush situation.”

Jessica's mom is also intimately involved in her daughter's business. Since 2014, Cathy has been a senior brand educator at The Honest Company, per her LinkedIn.

Mark was diagnosed with cancer in 2021

Cathy isn’t the only one in the family who has been affected by cancer. In 2021, Jessica revealed that her father was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

She made the announcement with a sweet father-daughter video on Instagram.

“My #papasito is about to SLAY #thyroidcancer -starting his radiation therapy mañana,” she wrote alongside a video of the pair dancing.

Jessica’s feminist beliefs were encouraged by her parents

The multi-hyphenate talent has always been outspoken about the sexism she has faced in Hollywood and her passion for gender equality and, it turns out, that empowerment comes from her father.

“I’ve identified as a feminist since I could remember identifying as anything,” Jessica told Glamour UK in 2022. “I believe that women should be equal to men. And so does my dad. My dad’s a feminist, too.”

In another interview with Glamour, the actress praised her mom for teaching her to be an independent woman.

“Where I was from, you had to answer to a man if he was the breadwinner. My mom told me that didn't need to be the case for me—I didn't need to rely on a man,” Jessica said in 2014. “She taught me how to hustle. I was determined to be financially independent. So I started making my own money when I was 12. That was freedom.”

Jessica credits her parents for her success

From an early age, Jessica has had an entrepreneurial spirit and she credits her success — both in business and in acting — to her parents.

In a 2015 interview with Vanity Fair, the Kids' Choice Award winner described how her parents modeled a strong work ethic from the moment she was born. Mark was in the military for years before starting his own real estate company while her mother worked multiple jobs to help support the family.

“There was nothing [she] didn’t do. She was the manager of a movie theater; she went to cosmetology school; she was a bartender, waitress, and then my manager,” Jessica said.

The actress' parents also taught her persistence in the face of adversity.

“I was on a swim team, and I was chubby and slow and dead last—a full two laps last. I was crying and couldn't breathe. My mom and dad were like, ‘You started this, you're going to finish it!’ ” Jessica told Self in 2015. “My parents made me stick to stuff, pick myself up. It's painful to go through, but I appreciate that tough love.”

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