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Alexa PenaVega
Alexa Vega 2012.jpg
Vega in 2012
Born
Alexa Ellesse Vega

(1988-08-27) August 27, 1988 (age 35)
Occupation Actress, singer
Years active 1993–present
Spouse(s)
  • Sean Covel
    (m. 2010; div. 2012)
  • Carlos PenaVega
    (m. 2014)
Children 3
Relatives Makenzie Vega (sister)

Alexa Ellesse PenaVega (née Vega; born August 27, 1988) is an American actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Carmen Cortez in the Spy Kids film series 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 was born in Miami, Florida. She spent some of her childhood years on a ranch in Ocala, Florida.

Her father, Baruch Vega, is a Colombian fashion photographer and student informer for the Central Intelligence Agency, 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

Acting

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 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.

Alexa Vega during Repo Tour cropped
Vega speaking during a Repo! Road Tour, 2009

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. 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 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 she began starring in the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries series Picture Perfect Mysteries.

Dancing

In the fall of 2015, Vega competed on the 21st season of Dancing with the Stars. Her husband, Carlos PenaVega also competed in that season; he and his partner were eliminated in Week 11. 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.

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.

Singing

Vega recorded three songs for the soundtracks while playing Carmen Cortez in the Spy Kids films. She released her debut single, "Isle of Dreams" helping to promote the release of the second film; "Game Over" and "Heart Drive" featuring Bobby Edner were released during promotions for the third film. She recorded songs for the movie Repo! The Genetic Opera which was 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 ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas. She performed several songs for her role on Ruby & The Rockits in 2009. Vega also sang two songs on the soundtrack for the film The Devil's Carnival which was released in 2012.

Personal life

Vega married 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.

PenaVega is a Christian and she has said that her faith is the most important thing in her life. Vega was the maid of honor at Nikki Reed's wedding to Paul McDonald.

In August 2013, Vega became engaged to former Big Time Rush actor and singer Carlos Pena Jr., whom she had been dating since late 2012. The couple married on January 4, 2014, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, taking PenaVega as their married name. The couple shares a YouTube channel, La Vida PenaVega (formerly LexLovesLos). The couple have three children – two sons born in December 2016 and June 2019, and a daughter born in May 2021.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1994 Little Giants Priscilla O'Shea
1995 Nine Months Molly Dwyer
1996 Twister Young Jo Thornton
Shattered Mind Sarah Also known as The Terror Inside
The Glimmer Man Cole's Daughter
Ghosts of Mississippi Claire DeLaughter
1998 Dennis the Menace Strikes Again Gina Direct-to-video film
1999 The Deep End of the Ocean Kerry Cappadora
2000 Run the Wild Fields Opal "Pug" Miller
2001 Follow the Stars Home Amy Williams Known as A Second Chance in Australia
Spy Kids Carmen Cortez / Carmenita
2002 Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams Carmen Cortez / Carmenita
2003 Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over Carmen Cortez / Carmenita
2004 Sleepover Julie Corky
2005 Odd Girl Out Vanessa Snyder
2006 State's Evidence Sandy Direct-to-video film
Walkout Paula Crisostomo
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
Café Sally
2011 From Prada to Nada Mary Dominguez
Summer Song Ellie
Spy Kids: All the Time in the World Carmen Cortez
2012 The Devil's Carnival Wick
The Pregnancy Project Gaby Rodriguez
2013 Bounty Killer Stewardess
Abandoned Mine Sharon
Machete Kills KillJoy
The Hunters Dylan Savini
2014 The Clockwork Girl Tesla
Wicked Blood Amber
Code Academy Libby
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For Gilda
23 Blast Ashley
The Remaining Skylar
2015 Spare Parts Karla
Do You Believe? Lacey
Roommate Wanted Janie
Pixies Michelle Meyers Voice role
The Murder Pact Camille
2018 Sleep Away Isabella
2020 Mighty Oak Valerie Scoggins

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1993–1994 Evening Shade Emily Newton Recurring role, 6 episodes
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 Television film (CBS)
1996 A Promise to Carolyn Young Kay Television film (CBS)
Life's Work Tess Hunter Episode: Pilot
1998 The Magnificent Seven Olivia Greer Episode: "Safecracker"
To Have & to Hold Kelly McGrail Recurring role, 7 episodes
1999 NetForce Susie Michaels Miniseries
Ladies Man Wendy Stiles Recurring role, 9 episodes
2002 Total Access 24/7 Herself / Carmen Cortez Episode: "Spy Kids 2"
All That Carmen Cortez Episode: "Spy Kids/Play"
Wild & Crazy Kids Herself Celebrity guest
2003 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 (Lifetime)
2006 Walkout Paula Crisostomo Television film (HBO)
2009 Ghost Whisperer Serena Episodes: "Endless Love"
Ruby & the Rockits Ruby Gallagher Lead role
2010 The Middle Morgan Episodes: "The Break-Up", "Worry Duty"
2012 Royal Pains Hollister Episode: "Imperfect Storm"
The Pregnancy Project Gaby Rodriguez Television film (LMN)
Unsupervised Christina Recurring role
2013 Big Time Rush Herself Episode: "Big Time Dreams"
2014 The Tomorrow People Hillary Cole Recurring role, 8 episodes
The Hunters Dylan Savini Television film (Hallmark)
Courtside Herself Episode: "Alexa Vega"
Muertoons Rosita Voice role; 2 episodes
2014–2015 Nashville Kiley Brenner Recurring role
2015 The Mentalist Lily Stoppard Episode: "The Whites of His Eyes"
Dancing with the Stars Herself Contestant (season 21): finished in sixth place
2016 Ms Matched Libby Boland Television film (Hallmark)
2017–present The Loud House Carlota Casagrande Recurring voice role, 7 episodes
2017 Destination Wedding Ellie Hamilton Television film (Hallmark)
Enchanted Christmas Laura Trudeau Television film (Hallmark)
2018 Love at Sea Olivia Graham Television film (Hallmark)
Christmas Made to Order Gretchen Television film (Hallmark)
2019 Picture Perfect Mysteries: Newlywed and Dead Allie Adams Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
2019–2022 The Casagrandes Carlota Casagrande Main voice role
2020 Blue's Clues & You! Herself Episode: "Happy Birthday Blue!"
Picture Perfect Mysteries: Dead Over Diamonds Allie Adams Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
Picture Perfect Mysteries: Exit Stage, Death Allie Adams Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
2021 Taking A Shot At Love Jenna Television film (Hallmark)
2022 Love in the Limelight Summer Rivera Television film (Hallmark)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Alexa PenaVega para niños

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