Alexa PenaVega | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Vega in 2013 | |
| Born | Alexa Ellesse Vega[1] (1988-08-27)August 27, 1988 (age 37) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 4[a] |
| Relatives | Makenzie Vega (sister) |
Alexa Ellesse PenaVega[2] (néeVega; born August 27, 1988[3]) is an American actress. She is known for her roles asCarmen Cortez in the first fourSpy Kids films and Julie Corky in the 2004 filmSleepover. In 2009, she starred as the title character Ruby Gallagher in theABC Family seriesRuby & the Rockits.
Vega's father, Baruch Vega, is a Colombian fashion photographer and former informer for theCentral Intelligence Agency,[4] and her mother, Gina Rue, is a former model.[5][6][7]
Vega has six siblings, including actressMakenzie Vega. She moved with her family toCalifornia when she was four years old.[3] As a teenager, she was homeschooled.[8]
In 1996, at the age of eight, Vega starred as young Jo Harding inTwister. She guest-starred in numerous television shows and films, includingER,Follow the Stars Home,Ghost Whisperer, andThe Bernie Mac Show. She became known worldwide in 2001 for her role as "Carmen Cortez" inSpy Kids. The firstSpy Kids film was a huge success, and two sequels,Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams andSpy 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 issueVanity Fair. In 2004, Vega finished filming two films:Sleepover andState's Evidence. The following year, she starred in theLifetime television filmOdd Girl Out, as a victim ofcyber-bullying. In 2006, she starred in another made-for-TV movie,Walkout; and finished filmingRemember the Daze, which was released in limited theaters in April 2007. She completed filmingRepo! The Genetic Opera, which was released in 2008.[9] Vega was confirmed as the lead role inHelix, written and directed by Aram Rappaport, which began filming in Chicago in March 2008. She was originally cast in the 2009Robert Rodriguez filmShorts, however, due to her being inAustralia for the filming ofBroken Hill, she had to be recast. She was replaced byKat Dennings. She appeared on Broadway inHairspray, as Penny.[10] In 2009, she played Ruby Gallagher on theABC Family television sitcomRuby & the Rockits, which also starredPatrick andDavid Cassidy.
Vega played Wick in the 2012 filmThe Devil's Carnival, a film from directorDarren Lynn Bousman and screenwriterTerrance Zdunich, who previously worked with Vega inRepo! The Genetic Opera.[11] Vega also sang two songs on the soundtrack for the film.[12]Throughout 2012, Vega starred in the independent thriller,2br/1ba, directed byRob Margolies and co-stars withSpencer Grammer andKathryn Morris. Vega also starred in the Lifetime Channel movieThe Pregnancy Project and her animated filmThe 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 seriesUnsupervised and had a guest role onRoyal Pains. Vega played the young heroine inAerosmith's music video "Legendary Child".[13]
Throughout 2013 and 2014, Vega appeared in the films23 Blast,Machete Kills,Bounty Killer,Wicked Blood,The Remaining, andThe Hunters. She guest starred on theBig Time Rush series finale "Big Time Dreams", playing herself. In 2015, Vega appeared inDo You Believe? as Lacey.[14]
In the fall of 2015, Vega competed on the21st season ofDancing with the Stars; Vega was paired with professional dancerMark Ballas.[15] 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.[16]
In 2016, she began starring in a series of Hallmark made for television films, such asMs. Matched,Destination Wedding, andChristmas Made to Order.[17]
In 2019, Vega and her husband Carlos PenaVega starred in theHallmark Movies & Mysteries TV moviePicture Perfect Mysteries: Newlywed and Dead, and in 2020 the follow-upPicture Perfect Mysteries: Dead over Diamonds.[18] She also starred inThe Power Couple, a Pure Flix original series.[19]
Vega married American film producerSean Covel on October 10, 2010 in a ceremony held in his hometown ofLead, South Dakota.[20]Robert Rodriguez walked her down the aisle.[21] In July 2012, Vega announced onTwitter that she had divorced Covel.[22][23]
In late 2012, Vega started dating American actor and singerCarlos Pena Jr., star ofNickelodeon seriesBig Time Rush and member ofpop musicboy bandby the same name, after meeting him at aBible study. She made a guest appearance on the final episode ofBig 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,[24][25] and were married on January 4, 2014 inPuerto Vallarta, Mexico, both taking PenaVega as their married name.[26] The couple shares a YouTube channel, La Vida PenaVega (formerly LexLovesLos).[27] The couple have had four children – two sons born in December 2016 and June 2019,[28][29][30] a daughter born in May 2021,[31][32] and another daughter who wasstillborn in April 2024.[33] As of 2025, the family lives inNashville, Tennessee. They previously lived inMaui.[34][35]
Vega was the maid of honor atNikki Reed's wedding toPaul McDonald.[36]
Vega is aChristian and has said that her faith is the most important thing in her life.[37]
| 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 | |
| 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 | Spy Kids | Episode: "Knubby McFarlin" | |
| Wild & Crazy Kids | Herself | Celebrity guest[39] | |
| 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, Chinah, Spa Attendant, Yellow Dress Model | Recurring voice role, 7 episodes |
| 2017 | Destination Wedding | Ellie Hamilton | Television film (Hallmark) |
| Enchanted Christmas | Laura Trudeau | ||
| 2018 | Love at Sea | Olivia Graham | |
| Christmas Made to Order | Gretchen | ||
| 2019 | Picture Perfect Mysteries: Newlywed and Dead | Allie Adams | Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) |
| 2019–2022 | The Casagrandes | Carlota Casagrande, Mom #3, Neighbor | 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 | |||
| 2021 | Taking A Shot At Love | Jenna | Television film (Hallmark) |
| 2022 | Love in the Limelight | Summer Rivera | |
| 2023 | A Paris Proposal | Anna Bowman | |
| Never Too Late to Celebrate | Camila |
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.
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 ...
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