Jessica Alba says she's a dork at heart

Actress Jessica Alba arrives for the world premiere of ''Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer'' at the VUE cinema in Leicester Square, London June 12, 2007.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters Life!) - Despite her glamorous image, actress Jessica Alba says she is a dork at heart, living an unexciting life off-set and shopping at discount retailer Target.

Alba, who first kicked and punched her way onto the scene in Jim Cameron's "Dark Angel," most recently appeared as a sultry stripper in the hard core "Sin City."

Now the 26-year-old star is back as action heroine Susan Storm, "The Invisible Woman," in the eagerly-awaited "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," the sequel to the 2005 $150 million hit adaptation of the long-running Marvel comic book.

She talks about her new film that opens on Friday, her inner dork and an embarrassing encounter with the paparazzi:

Q: Are you excited about the new "Fantastic Four" film?

A: "I am, very. It looks really good and we all set out to make this one bigger, better, faster, and I think we did it. It's still a family movie, so there's nothing too violent or vulgar, but it's action-packed with some amazing sequences like the London Eye which starts to topple, and then of course there's the Fantasticar which was SO much fun to do."

Q: What's the real Jessica like when you're just at home?

A: "I'm not walking around my house like this hot babe everyone seems to think I am. The truth is I'm a bit dorky and goofy - really! If I'm not working I don't like to wear much make-up and I like to just wear sweats and hang out with friends or my cousins. I mean, I know some of the girls in Hollywood, like Eva Longoria and Kate Hudson and Eva Mendes, and we're good friends, but on a day-to-day basis I just hang with my family and old friends. I like to cook for people. I love grilling veggies, steaks, chicken, that sort of thing, and I like to go walking with my two dogs. I've got an American bulldog called Bowie and a pug called Sid and they're great."

Q: Are you a shopaholic?

A: "No more than any other woman. I like shopping for clothes and shoes and so on, but what I really like is going to Target. I know people will be shocked, but I love it! You can spend hours there and find everything you need. Target's a real guilty pleasure for me. And then when I travel I like to collect things for my house. I love my house even though it's not that big or grand, but it's cute and cozy, and now I have pieces from all over the world, like Bali and Africa and Europe. And I buy a lot of music."

Q: So what's the wildest thing you've done recently?

A: "(Long pause) See, this is exactly what I mean - nothing! I haven't done anything wild for so long, honestly. I'd worry too much if I did, anyway. I tend to over-analyze everything. If I get offered a new movie, I tend to agonize over it - should I do it? Should I not? I just did this new film "The Eye" where I play a blind violinist, and every day I had a stomach ache because I was so worried about whether I was doing a good job or not. Really, I'm so boring and my life's not that exciting. That's why I don't understand why the paparazzi even bother with me."

Q: What's the most embarrassing thing you've done recently?

A: "The funniest thing just happened, and it's the only time the paparazzi came in useful. I never, ever charge my phone or my sidekick. I'm always running low on batteries or I forget it totally, and I was supposed to pick up my brother's kid who's just 18 months old at this club. My brother and wife were going out and I offered to baby sit, I'll pick up Carter. So I drive over to the location and I can't find my brother and I have no phone. But this paparazzi was there and I ended up having to borrow their phone to call my brother. He was the only guy around. I was on Sunset Boulevard at 9.30 p.m., no one was out except club kids, and this guy had to loan me his phone so I could call. It was so embarrassing. And then he was like, "Can I at least get a photo of you now?" and I just couldn't say no at that point. So there you go - the glamorous life of Jessica Alba."