AP: Do you have any career role models?

Alba: Definitely Drew (Barrymore). Definitely. Working with her (on "Never Been Kissed") when I was 16 and seeing how she absolutely loves what she does and is still totally inspired and is opening doors for so many women, yeah, she definitely has been a role model. And so young. She's really terrific.

AP: Do you also want to expand to other aspects of the business, like producing, writing and directing?

Alba: Definitely producing. I wouldn't say writing and directing. That's a whole other beast. I respect a) writers and b) directors way too much to think that I could just go in and just write up a little script. People dedicate their lives to telling stories.

AP: What would you be doing if you weren't an actor?

Alba: I don't know. I really don't. I love science. I've always loved biology, like I'm almost a little obsessed with it. It's kind of unhealthy. Science Daily is one of my bookmarks. I'm super dorky. ... But knowing what I know now and going through what I've experienced, I would probably want to maybe be a documentary filmmaker, and be able to use documentaries and in an entertaining way (make) thought-provoking commentaries on social issues that are going on in the world.

AP: Is that something you might pursue at some point?

Alba: Totally. If not do it myself, certainly finance people who have a passion or a knack for it.

AP: What are the pros and cons, personally and professionally, of being considered one of the world's sexiest women?

Alba: I don't really think about it too much. I'm like everybody else. I get insecure about things just like everybody else. I wake up in the morning and think, "What the hell am I going to do with my face today or my hair? What am I going to wear?" People make me feel like ... I'm not a person or superhuman or something because you're on a list that's being put together. But I understand that those magazines and those lists only exist just to give publicity for the magazine and publicity for the project that I'm in, and it's not necessarily completely and totally true.

AP: What's your dream role or collaboration?

Alba: I'm kind of living one now. I have to say, working with Mike Myers and being his leading lady in the film ("The Love Guru"), that's huge. ... He's brilliant and I'm really excited about what's happening right now. I try not to think too much about what if I could do this or do that. I kind of like to just take in the moment and go for the ride and enjoy it as much as I possibly can, because in three months it's going to be over and I'll be onto something else.