Jessica Alba is opening up about her Mexican heritage, sharing some of the struggles her parents had to go through. “I was raised by parents who were in survival mode because we were living paycheck to paycheck,” she explained during her recent interview with MSNBC.

The Hollywood star revealed that it was “very stressful and challenging” at the time, adding that it was hard for them to have “long-term goals or dreams when you are just trying to get by.”

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The actress, who shares a lot of similarities with her grandmother Isabel Martinez, previously told PopSugar that she “inherited a lot” from her. “She did more than what was expected of women of her generation. She got her GED, ran a business, helped support the family while her husband went to school, and raised generations of family in their home. She’s my icon of resourcefulness, determination, and drive. Basically, she’s the ultimate boss.”

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Jessica said to MSNBC that her family was able to survive by assimilation, after living in a “segregated and racially divided California.” The businesswoman went on to explain that “understanding a little bit of the history helps you jump off,” and it ultimately helped her “understand” her family dynamic.

The actress was also asked about her successful career in the film industry and the moment she started to feel passionate about acting. “I was really sick as a kid,” she said. “I was always a pretty kind of eccentric soul inside of my family dynamics. I didn’t really feel like I fit in with them, and so for me, entertainment or acting really became the only space where I felt seen or heard.”