Jessica Alba is getting candid about stepping away from The Honest Company, the wellness brand she co-founded in 2011.
Alba, 43, shared on Trevor Noah’s “What Now?” podcast that her priorities started to shift within the company, though it took her a “hot minute” to understand that.
“When I realized that the business really needed the more kind of streamlined flow and not the visionary flow, I had to start thinking about what that meant for my role,” she said in a Thursday, June 13, interview. “I needed to leave it in hands that I knew it would be safe and with the right team.”
She continued, “I felt like I could finally … let my kid go off to college in a way but it’s sad.” The Sin City actress added that she wept after making the decision to step down as chief creative officer. “It’s a milestone,” she explained. “I don’t think it’s ever easy.”
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Alba announced her decision to part ways with Honest in April, sharing in a statement that she planned to “shift her creative energy to new endeavors,” while remaining on the board of directors.
“When I created The Honest Company, I set out to change the consumer product industry and I can proudly say, we did just that,” she explained of the personal care and baby brand. “Honest has been a true labor of love for me – one that showed me what’s possible when you infuse purpose into business. While there never would have been an easy time to make this decision, I know we have a leadership team in place to advance my founding vision and protect Honest’s reputation as an industry changemaker.”
She added in a follow-up statement via Instagram, “Thank you for showing me that a girl with an unconventional path in business could help lead a movement for good.”
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In May, Alba opened up exclusively to Us Weekly about her next chapter, noting that she has her eye on returning to the entertainment industry and exploring other ventures. The cofounder’s last major role was in the 2019 TV series L.A.’s Finest, in which she starred as an LAPD detective alongside Gabrielle Union.
“I think it’s time to get back into entertainment and also think about what else I want to create or do,” Alba said. “I have a movie actually coming out June 21st for Netflix called Trigger Warning. It’s an action movie and I executive produced it. So, I’m excited.”
