Alexa PenaVega is one of the actresses in the Spy Kids series. She is known for playing Carmen Cortez in all Spy Kids films.
Early life
Vega was born in Miami, Florida. Her father is Colombian and her mother, Gina Rue, is an American former model.[1][2][3] Alexa has six siblings: paternal half-sister Margaux Vega (b.1981), sister Krizia Vega (b.1990), sister Makenzie Vega (b.1994; starred in Saw and Sin City), maternal half-sister Greylin James (b.2000), maternal half-brother Jet James (b.2005), and maternal half-brother Cruz Hudson Rue (b.2009). She moved with her family to California when she was four years old. She attended Notre Dame Catholic High School.
Career
Acting
Vega made her first movie appearance in Little Giants, starring as the six-year-old daughter of Ed O'Neill. In 1996, 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 movie was a huge success, and subsequently 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 2003, she was named one of that year's hottest teen celebrities in Vanity Fair. In 2004, Vega finished filming two movies: Sleepover and State's Evidence, and in the following year starred in a made-for-television drama entitled Odd Girl Out as a victim of cyber-bullying. She also filmed for another made-for-TV movie, Walkout. In June 2006, she finished filming Remember the Daze, which came out to limited theaters in April 2007. She also finished filming Repo! the Genetic Opera, which was released in 2008.[4] Vega has also been confirmed as the lead role in Helix, written and directed by Aram Rappaport, which began filming in Chicago in March 2008. Vega was originally cast in Robert Rodriguez's 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.
In 2009, she played Ruby Gallagher on the ABC Family television sitcom Ruby & The Rockits, which also starred Patrick & David Cassidy. The series was not renewed for a second season.
Vega made her Broadway debut as Penny Pingleton in Hairspray in 2007.[5]
Music
She recorded three songs for the soundtracks while playing Carmen Cortez in the Spy Kids films. She released her debut single, "Isle of Dreams", to coincide with the release of the second film. She also released "Game Over", for the third film. Another song, "Heart Drive" featuring Bobby Edner, was also recorded for Spy Kids 3. She also has recorded songs for the movie Repo! The Genetic Opera, released in 2008.
Vega sang the song "Christmas is the Time to Say 'I Love You'" in the ABC Family film Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe. The track appears on the compilation album Songs to Celebrate 25 Days of Christmas, which was released on November 3, 2009 by Walt Disney Records. The music video for the song premiered during the ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas programming block in 2009.
Alexa Vega is not planning on furthering her musical career as she prefers acting. (Taylor Momsen who did Spy Kids 2 is the opposite).
Personal life
Vega enjoys freshwater fishing, can speak Spanish fluently, is an experienced gymnast, and describes herself as a Christian.[6][7] Vega was married on October 10, 2010 to producer Sean Covel, in a ceremony held in his hometown of Lead, South Dakota. She wore an Ian Stuart gown[8] and was walked down the aisle by Robert Rodriguez. In summer 2012, Vega stated that she had filed for divorce from Covel, citing irreconcilible differences. In January 2014 Vega married Big Time Rush star Carlos Pena Jr whom she had been engaged to since August 2013.
Filmography
Television | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1993– 1994 |
Evening Shade | Emily Newton | 6 episodes |
1995 | ER | Bonnie Howe | Episode: "Sleepless in Chicago" |
Chicago Hope | Sara Wilmette | Episode: "Every Day a Little Death" | |
1996 | Life's Work | Tess Hunter | Pilot |
1998 | The Magnificent Seven | Olivia Greer | Episode: "Safecracker" |
To Have & to Hold | Kelly McGrail | 7 episodes | |
1999 | Ladies Man | Wendy Stiles #2 | 9 episodes |
2002 | All That | Carmen Cortez | Episode: "Spy Kids/ Play" |
2003 | The Bernie Mac Show | Jill | Episode: "Magic Jordan" |
2003 | Trading Spaces: Boys vs. Girls | Herself | Episode: Siblings "Eli vs. Kali" |
2009 | Ghost Whisperer | Serena | 2 episodes: "Endless Love" & "The Book of Changes" |
Ruby & The Rockits | Ruby Gallagher | main character, 10 episodes | |
2014 ||
The Tomorrow People ||
Hillary Cole ||
8 episodes | |||
Film | |||
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1994 | Little Giants | Priscilla O'Shea | |
1995 | Nine Months | Molly Dwyer | |
It Was Him or Us | Young Carrie | TV film | |
1996 | A Promise to Carolyn | Young Kay | TV film |
Twister | Jo Harding (age 5) | ||
Shattered Mind | Sarah | also known as The Terror Inside | |
The Glimmer Man | Cole's Daughter | cameo | |
Ghosts of Mississippi | Claire DeLaughter | ||
1998 | Dennis the Menace Strikes Again | Gina | direct-to-video |
1999 | NetForce | Susie Michaels | Mini-series |
The Deep End of the Ocean | Kerry Cappadora | ||
Run the Wild Fields | Opal 'Pug' Miller | ||
2001 | Follow the Stars Home | Amy Williams | also known as A Second Chance (Australia) |
Spy Kids | Carmen Cortez | first starring role | |
2002 | Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams | ||
2003 | Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over | ||
2004 | Sleepover | Julie Corky | first main billing role |
2005 | Odd Girl Out | Vanessa | Lifetime Original Movie |
2006 | State's Evidence | Sandy | Direct to DVD, filmed in 2004 |
Walkout | Paula Crisostomo | HBO original movie | |
Marrying God | Ivy | Short film | |
2007 | Remember the Daze | Holly | originally titled "The Beautiful Ordinary" |
2008 | Repo! The Genetic Opera | Shilo Wallace | |
2009 | Innocent | Ashley | originally titled "Helix" |
Broken Hill | Kat Rogers | ||
2010 | Mother's Day | Jenna Luther | |
The Mine | Sharon | ||
Cafe | Sally | ||
From Prada to Nada | Mary | based on the novel "Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen[9] | |
2011 | Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World | Carmen Cortez | |
Summer Song | Ellie | ||
2012 | The Devil's Carnival | Wick | short, third film with Darren Lynn Bousman |
The Pregnancy Project | Gaby Rodriguez | Lifetime Original Movie |
Discography
Singles
Year | Song | Album | Writer(s) | Label |
---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | "Isle of Dreams" | Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams | Robert Rodriguez | Milan |
2003 | "Game Over" | Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over | Robert Rodriguez & Rebecca Rodriguez | |
"Heart Drive" | ||||
2008 | "Seventeen" | Repo! The Genetic Opera (soundtrack) | Terrance Zdunich & Darren Smith | Lionsgate |
2009 | "Lost In Your Own Life" | Ruby & The Rockits | Shaun Cassidy | Hollywood |
"You are Where I Live" | David Cassidy | |||
"The Way It's Gonna Be" | ||||
"Forever Your Song" | ||||
"Too High a Price" | ||||
"Possibilities" (with Austin Butler) | ||||
"Now When I Close My Eyes" | ||||
"Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You"[10] | Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe | Billy Squier | Walt Disney |
Soundtrack
- 2002: Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams
- 2003: Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
- 2008: Repo! The Genetic Opera
- 2009: Songs To Celebrate 25 Days Of Christmas
Music videos
Year | Title | Album | Director | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | "Isle of Dreams" | Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams | Robert Rodriguez | Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams |
2009 | "You are Where I Live" | Ruby & The Rockits | Ted Wass | ABC Family/ABCFamily.com |
2009 | "Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You" | Songs to Celebrate 25 Days of Christmas | Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe/ ABC Family Channel |
References
- ↑ Vega's mother is not of Italian descent, despite reports to the contrary. In a question regarding her ancestry, Vega replied on her website's message board: "My father's side is Colombian (Bogota)... and I don't know why they said my mom was Italian. lol... She's not. My family and I were trying to figure out what my mom was, but we can only go back to 5 generations and they were all from Florida. haha. so .. Floridian? ahhah... my moms last name is French though", at Template:Cite web
- ↑ "Ex-spy has price on head, ache in heart", Miami Herald,. Retrieved on March 8, 2011. "Alexa Vega 21 is his oldest daughter with former Miami model Gina Rue With about 40 films in her career Alexa is mostly known for her role in the Spy Kids ..."
- ↑ Alexa Vega Biography at Film Reference
- ↑ Paris Hilton gets movie musical role. Retrieved August 1, 2007.
- ↑ "Spy Kids" Star Vega to Join Broadway’s Hairspray
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Nov. 20th story of engagement broken by HotSpringsStar.com quote=Covel managed to complete his second mission; to propose marriage to Vega. And she said, “Yes.”
- ↑ Alexa Vega's Wedding Album
- ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0893412/
- ↑ Template:Cite web