Jessica Alba speaks up about her project with Haifaa Al Mansour

American actress and businesswoman Jessica Alba reunited with regular collaborator Robert Rodriguez on a heist movie, and is also working on a new film with Saudi filmmaker Haifaa Al Mansour.

In the conversation session at Red Sea International Film Festival, she discussed her projects as “a really fun action movie – a family dramedy inside of a heist movie with an all-Latino cast”.

She has also worked on the project with Michael Peña, in which the duo brought it to Rodriguez, and all three are currently pitching it to studios.

Earlier, Alba appeared in  Rodriguez films, including Sin City and Sin City: A Dame To Kill For.

In the interview, she was asked what really changed during her tenure in Hollywood. In response, she said, “What’s really changed is the people in charge have data to show that, certainly when it comes to people of colour and primarily the Latino audience that is completely untapped in a really commercial way – that they matter, that this audience matters”.

On the other hand, Alba is busy working on a film with Saudi director Al Mansour. She revealed, “I’ve been talking to her for a few years”. She also said, “We have something we’ve been cooking up, a beautiful, tender story”. The actress added that an actor who is attending Red Sea this week is attached to star in the Al Mansour project.

Alba’s credits include appearing in two Fantastic Four films as Sue Storm. The actress said she has not yet seen Matt Shakman’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps from this year, but hopes to do so soon. ”I usually watch those movies with my kids,” said Alba, who has three children aged 17, 14 and 8. “My son wants to watch Sonic 85 times in a row. Especially when it comes to movies for the family, my kids dominate what we watch. We have to see it – I love Marvel, they’re so fun”.

Alba also noted her upcoming collaboration with fellow Red Sea attendee Dakota Johnson on A Tree Is Blue, Johnson’s directorial debut, which is written by and will star Vanessa Burghardt, with Charli XCX in negotiations to star.

US actress Alba received a Golden Globe nomination in 2001 for her breakthrough role in the Fox TV series Dark Angel. Her film credits include 2003 dance drama Honey; 2005’s Sin City; and comedies including Good Luck Chuck, Valentine’s Day and Little Fockers.

Last year, she appeared in Mouly Surya’s English-language feature debut, Trigger Warning; while Robert Moresco’s sports drama Maserati: The Brothers is currently in post-production.

The Red Sea In Conversation programme continues this afternoon with Dakota Johnson and Ana de Armas. RSIFF runs until Saturday, December 13.