In The Eye, shiksa goddess, Jessica Alba, plays a blind woman who receives an eye transplant which allows her to regain the power of sight. Problem is, the organs she receives have a sordid history. Visions from the dark side ensue.
BIO spoke with Jessica Alba over the phone (for Jessica's safety).
Q: This is your first straight up horror film. Any nightmares while making it?
A: I did actually. Where I was shooting in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which is sort of a spiritual place, all on native land, a lot of people in the town where we filmed see a woman in their room. She comes and visits and often are in touch with her. I didn't see the woman in the room, but I definitely had bad dreams. The film is definitely very scary. It's a classic ghost story more than a gore fest.
Q: In the past year you've done a comedy, action, a thriller, and now, horror. Do you want to continue to do different types of movies in the future?
A: I think initially I will do more character driven roles. More indies, ensemble casts, and smaller budgets. Not necessarily the big box office tent pole movies. What I always wanted to do and have kept an eye out for is an action movie ever since I finished Dark Angel. I still haven't found a good female driven action film.
Q: What kind of research did you do to play a blind person?
A: I went to blind orientation centers in L.A. and New Mexico. I spent some time living among people learning to deal with blindness, particularly in New Mexico. I learned to read Braille, walk with my cane, label everything in the house. I tried to learn how to exist as someone who has blindness. In the center they didn't know I was an actress researching a role. They thought I was another student. I got to take off my glasses and go home. It made me appreciate my sight more.
When I was at home I lived with sleep shades on.I also spent time with a girl who has been blind since she was two and now is in her late twenties. She's a vocalist. She speaks three different languages. She travels Europe by herself, lives by herself, goes to Boston University, converts her text books into Braille. She is completely self sufficient and independent. She was really my inspiration.

Q: As is the trend, this film is a remake of a Hong Kong horror film. How is it different?
A: This version is catered to an American audience. It represents the more western way of thinking about ghosts. A more eastern way of thinking about ghosts is that it is more accepted, spirits and mysticism, they just have a different mentality about it. They are more okay about it.

In the west, people think you are nuts if you see ghosts. We go into the film similar to that. The Hong Kong version was more bitter than sweet in the end. But in that version some people were on her side and didn't think she was as nuts. In our version everyone thinks she has completely lost it.

Q: Where do you see yourself in terms of growth as an actress with The Eye?
A: People have seen me primarily in popcorn movies. This one is as well. But I think here this is a more complex character