Alexa Vega Biography

Alexa Ellesse Vega (born August 27, 1988) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Carmen Cortez in the Spy Kids film series and Shilo Wallace in the film Repo! the Genetic Opera. 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. Her father is Colombian and her mother, Gina Rue, is an American former model. 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.

Career

Acting career

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 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. Vega reprised the role in the 2011 sequel, Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World.

In 2003, she was named one of that year's hottest teen celebrities in the July 2003 issue Vanity Fair. In 2004, Vega finished filming two films: Sleepover and State's Evidence. Then the following year she starred in the Lifetime television film 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 was released in limited theaters on April 2007. She also finished filming Repo! the Genetic Opera, which was released in 2008. 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 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. In 2009, she played Ruby Gallagher on the ABC Family television sitcom Ruby & The Rockits, which also starred Patrick and David Cassidy. The series was not renewed for a second season.

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".

As of 2013, Vega finished work on the films 23 Blast, Machete Kills, Bounty Killer, Wicked Blood, The Remaining, & The Hunters which will have release dates throughout 2013 and 2014. Vega also had a role on the Big Time Rush series finale "Big Time Dreams", playing herself.

Music career

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.

Personal life

Vega enjoys freshwater fishing, can speak Spanish fluently, is an experienced gymnast, and describes herself as a Christian. Vega married film producer Sean Covel on October 10, 2010 in a ceremony held in his hometown of Lead, South Dakota. She wore an Ian Stuart gown and was walked down the aisle by Robert Rodriguez. Vega is close friends with Nikki Reed, and was the maid of honor at Reed's wedding to Paul McDonald on October 16, 2011.

In July 2012, Vega announced on Twitter that she had divorced Covel. Citing irreconcilable differences, Vega and Covel already have a division of property based upon a "written agreement." As of September 11, 2013, Vega is engaged to actor/singer Carlos Pena, Jr.

Filmography

List of film credits

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
2002	Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams
2003	Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
2004	Sleepover	Julie Corky
2005	Odd Girl Out	Vanessa	TV film
2006	State's Evidence	Sandy	direct-to-video
	Walkout	Paula Crisostomo	TV film
	Marrying God	Ivy	short film
2007	Remember the Daze	Holly
2008	Repo! The Genetic Opera	Shilo Wallace
2009	Innocent	Ashley
	Broken Hill	Kat Rogers
2010	Mother's Day	Jenna Luther
	Cafe	Sally
2011	From Prada to Nada	Mary
	Summer Song	Ellie
	Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World	Carmen Cortez
2012	The Pregnancy Project	Gaby Rodriguez	TV film
	The Devil's Carnival	Wick
	The Clockwork Girl	Tesla
	Abandoned Mine	Sharon
2013	23 Blast	Ashley
	Machete Kills	KillJoy
	Bounty Killer	Stewardess
	2 BR/1 BA	Janie
	The Remaining	Skylar
	Wicked Blood	Amber
	The Hunters	Dylan Savini

List of television credits

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1993"94	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 episode
1998	The Magnificent Seven	Olivia Greer	Episode: "Safecracker"
	To Have & to Hold	Kelly McGrail	7 episodes
1999	Ladies Man	Wendy Stiles No. 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	Episodes: "Endless Love"
	Ruby & The Rockits	Ruby Gallagher	main character
2010	The Middle	Morgan	2 episodes: "The Break-Up" and "Worry Duty"
2012	Unsupervised	Christina	Main role
	Royal Pains	Hollister	Episode: "Imperfect Storm"
2013	Big Time Rush	Herself	Episode: "Big Time Dreams"

Discography

Singles

Year	Song	Album	Writer(s)	Label
2002	"Isle of Dreams"	Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams	Robert Rodriguez	Milan Records
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 Records
2009	"Lost In Your Own Life"	Ruby & The Rockits	Shaun Cassidy	Hollywood Records
	"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"	Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe	Billy Squier	Walt Disney Records

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
• 2012: The Devil's Carnival

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
2004	"Game Over"