Alexa Ellesse PenaVega ( Vega; ; born August 27, 1988) 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, "Fashion Photographer Scored Millions As an Informant, but Was Justice Served?" , 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.Paris Hilton gets movie musical role. Retrieved August 1, 2007. 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 (formerly LexLovesLos). 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 is a Christian and has said that her faith is the most important thing in her life. She has also spoken out against abortion, describing herself as "hardcore pro-life."
Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes1994 Little Giants Priscilla O'Shea 1995 Nine Months Molly Dwyer 1996 Twister Young Jo Thornton The Glimmer Man Cole's Daughter Ghosts of Mississippi Claire DeLaughter 1998 Dennis the Menace Strikes Again Gina Direct-to-video film1999 The Deep End of the Ocean Young Kerry Cappadora 2000 Run the Wild Fields Opal "Pug" Miller 2001 Spy Kids Carmen Cortez Follow The Stars HomeAmy Williams2002 Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams Carmen Cortez2003 Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over 2004 Sleepover Julie Corky 2006 State's Evidence Sandy Direct-to-video filmMarrying God Ivy Short film2007 Remember the Daze Holly 2008 Repo! The Genetic Opera Shilo Wallace 2009 The Blue Elephant 2 Melody (voice) Broken Hill Kat Rogers Innocent Ashley 2010 Mother's Day Jenna LutherCafé Sally 2011 From Prada to Nada Mary Dominguez Spy Kids: All the Time in the World Carmen Cortez Summer Song Ellie 2012 The Devil's Carnival Wick Abandoned Mine Sharon 2013 Bounty Killer Stewardess Machete Kills KillJoy 2014 The Clockwork Girl Tesla (voice) Wicked Blood Amber Dawn BakerCode Academy Libby Short filmSin City: A Dame to Kill For Gilda The Remaining Skylar Chapman 23 Blast Ashley 2015 Spare Parts Karla Do You Believe? Lacey Roommate Wanted Janie Pixies Michelle Meyers (voice) The Murder Pact Camille 2018 Sleep Away Isabella 2020 Mighty Oak Valerie Scoggins 2024 Mr. Manhattan Dani The Casagrandes Movie Carlota Casagrande (voice)
Television Year Title Role Notes1993–1994 Evening Shade Emily Newton Recurring role (season 4)1995 ER Bonnie Howe Episode: "Sleepless in Chicago"Chicago Hope Sara Wilmette Episode: "Every Day a Little Death"It Was Him or Us Young Carrie Wilson Television film 1996 A Promise to Carolyn Young KayLife's Work Tess Hunter Episode: Pilot1998 The Magnificent Seven Olivia Greer Episode: "Safecracker"To Have & to Hold Kelly McGrail Recurring role1999 NetForce Susie Michaels Television filmLadies Man Wendy Stiles Main role2002 Total Access 24/7 Herself Episode: "Spy Kids 2"All That Episode: "Knubby McFarlin"Wild & Crazy Kids Celebrity guest2003 The Bernie Mac Show Jill Episode: "Magic Jordan"Trading Spaces: Boys vs. Girls Herself Episode: Siblings "Eli vs. Kali"2005 Odd Girl Out Vanessa Snyder Television film 2006 Walkout Paula Crisostomo 2009 Ghost Whisperer Serena 2 episodesRuby & the Rockits Ruby Gallagher Main role2010 The Middle Morgan Edwards 2 episodes2012 Royal Pains Hollister Episode: "Imperfect Storm"The Pregnancy Project Gaby Rodriguez Television filmUnsupervised Christina Rivera (voice) Recurring role2013 Big Time Rush Herself Episode: "Big Time Dreams"2014 The Tomorrow People Hillary Cole Recurring roleThe Hunters Dylan Savini Television film Courtside Herself Episode: "Alexa Vega"Muertoons Rosita (voice) 2 episodes2014–2015 Nashville Kiley Brenner Recurring role2015 The Mentalist Lily Stoppard Episode: "The Whites of His Eyes"Dancing with the Stars Herself Contestant (season 21)2016 Ms Matched Libby Boland Television film2017–2023 The Loud House Carlota Casagrande (voice) Recurring role (season 2–4, 6–7)2017 Destination Wedding Ellie Hamilton Television filmEnchanted Christmas Laura Trudeau2018 Love at Sea Olivia GrahamChristmas Made to Order Gretchen2019 Picture Perfect Mysteries: Newlywed and Dead Allie Adams 2019–2022 The Casagrandes Carlota Casagrande (voice) Main role2020 Blue's Clues & You! Herself Episode: "Happy Birthday Blue!"Picture Perfect Mysteries: Dead Over Diamonds Allie Adams Television filmPicture Perfect Mysteries: Exit Stage, Death2021 Taking A Shot At Love Jenna 2022 Love in the Limelight Summer Rivera2023 A Paris Proposal Anna BowmanNever Too Late to Celebrate Camila2025 A Week Away: The Series Nurse Episode: "It Is Well"
References
Notes
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