The 25 year-old star of movies "Fantastic Four" and "Sin City" told Reuters that appearing at Hollywood's most irreverent awards show -- where gold buckets of popcorn are awarded in offbeat categories like "Best Kiss" and "Best Villain" -- signals to the industry that a performer can lure young crowds to box offices.

For Hollywood, younger moviegoers make up the core audience who turn out weekly and buy loads of popcorn, and Alba said she appreciates their loyalty.

"They show up to the movies and they take their friends, and that's who I make movies for," she said.

"It's less about critics or about an Academy Award-winning performance," she added. "If you are at the MTV Movie Awards, it validates peoples' value in the entertainment business."

Alba, who made her name as an action hero on the Fox television series "Dark Angel," said she is taking on comedy for the first time at the awards show, and is nervous about how her performance will be received -- not by fans, but by other celebrities.

The show's list of high-profile attendees include comedian Will Ferrell, singer Jessica Simpson, and Academy Award-winning actor Jamie Foxx, among others.

"I'm actually more nervous for my contemporaries to see me," Alba said. "I think my priorities are a little skewed."

To make the show fun for fans, Alba said she hopes "all the celebs feel comfortable enough to have fun and go crazy."

If that doesn't happen, however, Alba made light of what the consequences would be for her career. "If it's not, then I'll never do it again," she said, laughing.

The MTV Movie Awards will be taped on Saturday and air on the cable TV network this coming Thursday, June 8.