She was born into a financially struggling household, a child of two teenagers who could barely make ends meet. Many nights, hunger was her companion as she fell asleep on an empty stomach. But today, she’s a celebrated Hollywood actress, an Academy Award winner, and one of the most respected talents in film.
A complicated start
With her porcelain skin, striking red hair, high cheekbones, and vivid green eyes, she stood out in Hollywood’s world of blondes and brunettes. But behind her polished image was a difficult story. Born on March 24, 1977, in Sacramento, California, she was named Jessica Howard at birth. Her mother, Jerri Hastey, was a vegan chef, and her stepfather, Michael Hastey, was a firefighter. Her biological father, musician Michael Monasterio, was never part of her upbringing.
Money was scarce, and her mother struggled to provide for Jessica and her younger sister. She once said, “There were many nights we went to bed without eating.” This upbringing shaped her empathy: “Because of my mother, I try to think of others more than myself.”