Jessica Alba has always been determined not to "answer to the man".

Gender equality is just one of the hot debates currently sweeping Hollywood, with stars including Jennifer Lawrence expressing their anger at being paid less than their male co-stars.

Jessica is firmly on Jennifer's side, and she thinks it's ridiculous that women aren't considered equal to the opposite sex.

"Women don't get equal pay," Jessica told Britain's Cosmopolitan magazine "There are not as many women in government positions or business positions. It's just not equal. And until there is equality, you're going to feel that, in any industry. But I was like, girls should have an equal seat at the table. Take Jennifer Lawrence. I mean, she's opening films - she's the box-office draw just as much as any guy, if not more. She should be compensated for that."

As well as a varied and successful acting career, Jessica is also a world-famous entrepreneur thanks to her organisation The Honest Company.

Her desire to succeed stemmed from a very young age, and the 34-year-old star always knew she wanted to be the one in charge.

"It's a man's world," she continued. "From an early age I wanted to be stronger than the boys. It wasn't enough that I was as good as the girls; I looked at the boys as standard. I was competitive with men. I think it's because men dominated in so many ways in my life. I wanted to be the person who dictated how things were going to be and not have to answer to the man."

Jessica is now known for her sexy style when it comes to her outfit choices, and she rarely puts a foot wrong whether she's on the red carpet or hitting the shops.

However, things were vastly different when Jessica was growing up, with the actress relating more to her masculine side.

"I was aggressive and super-masculine in my twenties," she said. "I got boobs when I was young, and was like, 'What do I do?' Even when I did (television show) Dark Angel, I was like (cartoon character) Daria – moody, slouching. I didn't feel comfortable and felt angry, like an imposter.

"I learnt to be cool with the feminine later. When I turned 30, I thought, 'Oh, I'm feminine, I'm this sensual person and it's OK.' I didn't understand it for so long and felt it held me back. I had to shed all the negativity. I was a glass half-empty girl – now I'm a glass half-full."