Alexa PenaVega


Alexa Ellesse PenaVega is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Carmen Cortez in the first four Spy Kids films and Julie Corky in the 2004 film Sleepover. In 2009, she starred as the title character Ruby Gallagher in the ABC Family series Ruby & the Rockits.

Early life

Vega's father, Baruch Vega, is a Colombian fashion photographer and former informer for the Central Intelligence Agency,
De Cordoba, Jose,
, The Wall Street Journal, December 7, 2000
 and her mother, Gina Rue, is a former model.
Vega has six siblings, including actress Makenzie Vega. She moved with her family to California when she was four years old. As a teenager, she was homeschooled.

Career

In 1996, at the age of eight, Vega starred as young Jo Harding in Twister. She guest-starred in numerous television shows and films, including ER, Follow the Stars Home, Ghost Whisperer, and The Bernie Mac Show. She became known worldwide in 2001 for her role as "Carmen Cortez" in Spy Kids. The first Spy Kids film was a huge success, and two sequels, Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, were filmed. During the shooting of the three films she performed most of her own stunts. In 2011, Vega appeared in the sequel, Spy Kids: All the Time in the World, as a grown Carmen Cortez.
She was named one of the year's hottest teen celebrities in the July 2003 issue Vanity Fair. In 2004, Vega finished filming two films: Sleepover and State's Evidence. The following year, she starred in the Lifetime television film Odd Girl Out, as a victim of cyber-bullying. In 2006, she starred in another made-for-TV movie, Walkout; and finished filming Remember the Daze, which was released in limited theaters in April 2007. She completed filming Repo! The Genetic Opera, which was released in 2008. Vega was confirmed as the lead role in Helix, written and directed by Aram Rappaport, which began filming in Chicago in March 2008. She was originally cast in the 2009 Robert Rodriguez film Shorts, however, due to her being in Australia for the filming of Broken Hill, she had to be recast. She was replaced by Kat Dennings. She appeared on Broadway in Hairspray, as Penny. In 2009, she played Ruby Gallagher on the ABC Family television sitcom Ruby & the Rockits, which also starred Patrick and David Cassidy.
Vega played Wick in the 2012 film The Devil's Carnival, a film from director Darren Lynn Bousman and screenwriter Terrance Zdunich, who previously worked with Vega in Repo! The Genetic Opera. Vega also sang two songs on the soundtrack for the film.
Throughout 2012, Vega starred in the independent thriller, 2br/1ba, directed by Rob Margolies and co-stars with Spencer Grammer and Kathryn Morris. Vega also starred in the Lifetime Channel movie The Pregnancy Project and her animated film The Clockwork Girl was completed. Vega's film, The Mine, which was filmed in 2010 got a limited release/screening. Vega also voiced Christina in the animated series Unsupervised and had a guest role on Royal Pains. Vega played the young heroine in Aerosmith's music video "Legendary Child".
Throughout 2013 and 2014, Vega appeared in the films 23 Blast, Machete Kills, Bounty Killer, Wicked Blood, The Remaining, and The Hunters. She guest starred on the Big Time Rush series finale "Big Time Dreams", playing herself. In 2015, Vega appeared in Do You Believe? as Lacey.
In the fall of 2015, Vega competed on the 21st season of Dancing with the Stars; Vega was paired with professional dancer Mark Ballas. On November 9, Vega and Ballas were eliminated in Week 9 and finished the competition in 6th place. Her husband, Carlos PenaVega, also competed in that season; he and his partner were eliminated in Week 11.
In 2016, she began starring in a series of Hallmark made for television films, such as Ms. Matched, Destination Wedding, and Christmas Made to Order.
In 2019, Vega and her husband Carlos PenaVega starred in the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries TV movie Picture Perfect Mysteries: Newlywed and Dead, and in 2020 the follow-up Picture Perfect Mysteries: Dead over Diamonds. She also starred in The Power Couple, a Pure Flix original series.

Personal life

Vega married American film producer Sean Covel on October 10, 2010 in a ceremony held in his hometown of Lead, South Dakota. Robert Rodriguez walked her down the aisle. In July 2012, Vega announced on Twitter that she had divorced Covel.
In late 2012, Vega started dating American actor and singer Carlos Pena Jr., star of Nickelodeon series Big Time Rush and member of pop music boy band by the same name, after meeting him at a Bible study. She made a guest appearance on the final episode of Big Time Rush, aired in July 2013, playing the on-screen new girlfriend of Pena's character, Carlos Garcia. The couple got engaged in August 2013, and were married on January 4, 2014 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, both taking PenaVega as their married name. The couple shares a YouTube channel, La Vida PenaVega. The couple have had four children – two sons born in December 2016 and June 2019, a daughter born in May 2021, and another daughter who was stillborn in April 2024. As of 2025, the family lives in Nashville, Tennessee. They previously lived in Maui.
Vega was the maid of honor at Nikki Reed's wedding to Paul McDonald.
Vega is a Christian and has said that her faith is the most important thing in her life.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1994Little GiantsPriscilla O'Shea
1995Nine MonthsMolly Dwyer
1996TwisterJo Thornton
1996The Glimmer ManCole's Daughter
1996Ghosts of MississippiClaire DeLaughter
1998Dennis the Menace Strikes AgainGinaDirect-to-video
1999The Deep End of the OceanKerry Cappadora
2000Run the Wild FieldsOpal "Pug" Miller
2001Spy KidsCarmen Cortez
2001Follow The Stars HomeAmy Williams
2002Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost DreamsCarmen Cortez
2003Spy Kids 3-D: Game OverCarmen Cortez
2004SleepoverJulie Corky
2005Odd Girl OutVanessa Snyder
2006State's EvidenceSandyDirect-to-video
2006Marrying GodIvyShort film
2007Remember the DazeHolly
2008Repo! The Genetic OperaShilo Wallace
2009The Blue Elephant 2MelodyVoice
2009Broken HillKat Rogers
2009InnocentAshley
2010Mother's DayJenna Luther
2010CaféSally
2011From Prada to NadaMary Dominguez
2011Spy Kids: All the Time in the WorldCarmen Cortez
2011Summer SongEllie
2012The Devil's CarnivalWick
2012Abandoned MineSharon
2013Bounty KillerStewardess
2013Machete KillsKillJoy
2014The Clockwork GirlTeslaVoice
2014Wicked BloodAmber Dawn Baker
2014Code AcademyLibbyShort film
2014Sin City: A Dame to Kill ForGilda
2014The RemainingSkylar Chapman
201423 BlastAshley
2015Spare PartsKarla
2015Do You Believe?Lacey
2015Roommate WantedJanie
2015PixiesMichelle MeyersVoice
2015The Murder PactCamille
2018Sleep AwayIsabella
2020Mighty OakValerie Scoggins
2024Mr. Manhattan Dani
2024The Casagrandes MovieCarlota CasagrandeVoice

Television