Jessica Alba is one among an ensemble of talented performers who will make the hearts of couples go pitter-patter this weekend when "Valentine's Day" arrives in theaters. But Alba is also committed to another ensembled cast, a bloodier one, for the Robert Rodriguez-directed "Grindhouse" spin-off, "Machete."

That ensemble includes Steven Seagal, the "Lawman" star who really needs no introduction. If you haven't seen "Under Siege," you're missing out. Anyway, during a recent interview with Alba, MTV's Josh Horowitz asked her to comment on her burly co-star.

His exact words were, "What's Steven Seagal like to work with?" The query was followed by an uncertain smile, a brief darting of the eyes and an extended pause. "He's Steven Seagal," she replied, clearly hesitant to go further.

So Josh prodded her a bit. "He's a lawman you know," he said. More silence. Small grin. Darting eyes. "He's a lawman," she replied.

Gathering up her courage, Alba shared a brief anecdote from the shoot. "I kind of called him an actor and he kind of got mad at me and corrected me and said he was an officer of the law," she explained. "And I said 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you.' But he was really sweet about letting me know it was okay that I offended him."

There's clearly some fear, but it's natural. This is a guy with a talent for martial arts and a quiet, almost Zen-like demeanor. The two in combination give the impression of... well... lethality.

"He's a killer," Alba said, quickly elaborating. "He's pretty badass, and he does an amazing fight in the movie." Always the diplomat, that Alba.

Are you a Steven Seagal fan? Would you call him an actor to his face? What does his involvement in "Machete" do as far as making you want to see it?