The Real Reason Jessica Alba Threatened To Sue Playboy

Actor, mom, boss, and entrepreneur, Jessica Alba, can do it all and make it look graceful in the process. In 2016, she was voted by Forbes as one of "America's Richest Entrepreneurs Under 40." Five years prior to making the Forbes list, she co-founded The Honest Company, which made its way to stores like Ulta Beauty and Target and was valued at nearly $1.7 billion by 2015, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Alba's initial intention was to offer a subscription service for baby items like diapers, but she has since built the brand into a nontoxic empire that even offers clean beauty products!

When the "Fantastic Four" and "Sin City" actor isn’t giving all her energy to her billion-dollar business or filming for a new role, she’s topping most beautiful lists and landing magazine covers. But fame and winning beauty polls haven’t come without some trouble for Alba in Hollywood, who has voiced disdain for her media portrayal, such as when Playboy misleadingly put her as their cover girl more than a decade ago.

In March 2006, Jessica Alba threatened to sue Playboy for making her an unwilling cover girl. The magazine's cover photo showed the star rocking a slim-fitted bikini from her 2005 movie "Into the Blue." Alba's lawyers claimed Playboy tricked Sony Pictures Entertainment into supplying the image after she denied the opportunity to pose for the magazine's cover.

Jessica Alba's Personal Life and Career

Jessica Alba's Battle with Playboy

In her statement regarding the Playboy cover, Alba expressed, "Playboy has violated my personal rights and blatantly misled the public, who might think I had given them permission to put me on their cover when I didn’t." Her legal team swiftly demanded the magazine remove the issue from newsstands and sought a monetary settlement. Alba emphasized that her intention was to protect her personal rights, hoping to prevent similar incidents from happening to others.

Interestingly, Alba incorporates a no-nudity clause in all her film contracts. She stated, "I don’t want my grandparents to see my b***s. That’s it. It would be weird at Christmas." This highlights her commitment to maintaining her image and boundaries within the entertainment industry.

Resolution and Forgiveness

After a month-long legal battle, Jessica Alba and Playboy reached an amicable resolution. In April 2006, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner personally apologized to Alba and even donated money to her favorite charities to make amends. In return, Alba agreed to drop the lawsuit.

She stated, "I appreciate Mr. Hefner's acknowledgment of the distress caused by Playboy's actions, and I’m happy to put this unfortunate event behind me." The outcome showcased Alba's desire to move forward while highlighting the importance of consent in media portrayals.