The actress — who raises daughter Honor Marie with husband Cash Warren — says she prefers her role as a mother and a wife.

“It’s tough to work because I would rather be home,” says Alba, who stars in new movie Machete.“Kids grow up so fast so it’s sad to be away. But I’m lucky that I don’t have to work all the time.”

Alba recently revealed that she and Warren had an instant connection when they first met.

“Right after I met [Cash], I called my best friend and was like, ‘I met this guy and I feel like I’ve known him forever and I’m gonna know him for the rest of my life,” she said earlier this month.

“The romantic stuff comes and goes, but it’s like, does that person have your back?

“You have to be a team navigating through wherever life may lead you and I want a friend for that.”

Her smile got her a multi-million dollar deal to be the face of Revlon make up.

But Jessica Alba also found it pretty useful when facing a speeding ticket too.

She was pulled over by a motorcycle cop in Beverly Hills earlier today after being spotted apparently driving too fast.

When the 29-year-old actress rolled down her window flashing a big smile, the officer realised who it was he had pulled over and the Open Water star was free to carry on after a friendly chat. This was even though he had what looked like a radar gun in hand ready to prove she was driving over the speed limit. After several minutes of polite conversation the officer went back to his bike and Jessica, driving a GMC Yukon hybrid SUV, was on her way.

Jess has recently returned from France where she had been on holiday with her husband, Cash Warren, their two-year-old daughter Honor Marie and Jessica's parents.

She originally arrived without her husband in early July to check out the fashion shows at Paris Haute Couture Week.

But after getting her fashion fix, she headed south to Provence to reunite with film producer husband Warren, whose mother has a house there.