Biography
Date of Birth
27 December 1988, Miami, Florida, USA
Birth Name
Alexa Ellesse Vega
Nickname
Lex
Alex
Height
5' 1" (1.55 m)
Mini Biography
Alexa Ellesse PenaVega was born Alexa Ellesse Vega on August 27, 1988 in Ocala, Florida and raised in Los Angeles, California to Gina Denise Rue, a former model & Baruch Jairo Vega, a photographer. She is known for her role as Carmen Cortez in the Spy Kids series and Shilo Wallace in the film Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008). In 2009, she starred as the title character Ruby Gallagher in the ABC Family series Ruby & The Rockits.
Trivia
Older sister of Makenzie Vega and Krizia Vega.
Has two half-sisters named Greylin James (b. 2000) and Margaux Vega (b. 1981). She also has a half-brother named Jet James (b. 2005).
She enjoys freshwater fishing.
Her father is Colombian. Her mother, who is of British Isles origin, has deep roots in Florida.
She can speak Spanish fluently.
Is an experienced gymnast.
At 15, placed fourth in the hottest female teen stars in February 2004.
Spy Kids (2001) director, Robert Rodriguez, bought her a new car for her 16th birthday. She wanted a Range Rover so she can drive her four sisters around and put a surfboard on top.
On the set of Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002), she received her first kiss at the age of 13, with a young stuntman, after calling her mother and receiving assurances that it was all right.
Her favorite actor is Rupert Grint.
Playing the role of 'Penny Pingleton' in the Broadway production of "Hairspray". [April 2007]
On the set, filming the movie Walkout (2006) for HBO. [July 2005]
(January 4, 2014) Married her boyfriend of a year Carlos PenaVega in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico following a 5-month-long engagement.
Friend of AnnaLynne McCord.
Has 3 children: sons, Ocean PenaVega (b. December 7, 2016) & Kingston PenaVega (b. June 30, 2019) and daughter, Rio PenaVega (b. May 7, 2021) with husband, Carlos PenaVega.
Quotes
I don't know what to say when I have a crush on somebody. I kind of lose my words. I really try to start a conversation, and I can't. It's horrible.
I think I am too old to be doing teen movies. I am just kind of annoyed, because you have all these teen movies coming out with usually either Lindsay Lohan or Hilary Duff doing four of the exact teen movies over and over again.
Guys are so easygoing and girls are a little harder to please, but that's okay.
Well, because I'm naturally a tomboy, when I have sleepovers with girls, they end up going home and crying.
I actually have a stash of wigs for Halloween. But only for that. Not to play dress-up.
I need a SUV, for me and my four sisters. So, I've narrowed it down to four, kind of expensive, cars.
I think it really makes a difference when you know the people that you're working with, when you develop a relationship.
When you have people catering to you non-stop, you lose it. You need someone to kick you in the butt every now and then!
Having to go back and forth between school and filming would sometimes be frustrating because I loved school. It was my chance to be around other people my age. But when you're leaving school to go to a set that's filled with kids your age, then it's fine.
I was raised by a very strict, good mother, so I won't be getting out of line anytime soon.
I consider my mom and all my sisters my friends.
I guess if you are making more money than your mom and dad, you can set your own boundaries.
I don't expect people who've enjoyed 'Spy Kids' will enjoy 'Repo! the Genetic Opera!'
If a script comes together, and you end up liking the people who are part of it, that's when you can make magic happen. It's a huge combination of trying to find something you think you can deliver on and a director you think you can collaborate with to make a good picture.
I don't know how I didn't kill any one of my sisters. For this one horror film we were making, I made my own harness for my sister. I wrapped her in all these ropes, but then also put a noose around her neck and hung her from a tree. Now I think, 'What if my harness didn't work?' I'm so lucky that nothing ever happened.
I used to be so intimidated by spin classes. I'd always go by and see people on their bikes looking so intense. But one day my sister and I worked up the courage to go in, and now we're hooked!
The Internet has become a tool to pick on people and ruin someone's life. I don't think parents realize what's going on. Just because you're not at school doesn't mean kids aren't harassing you on the computer.
People are expecting me to still be fourteen years old. It cracks me up, especially when people see me walk by with my husband. They're like, 'What? You're married? You're not old enough to be married.' Thank you. I'm glad that you think that.
I always think it's hard for any young actor to make that transition to more grown-up roles. Because you don't want to alienate your audience who has been supportive of you for so many years, so you kind of have to tiptoe through that process.
Never compromise yourself.
Kids need to open up to their parents. And parents should realize that when kids are pushing you away, that's the time to really step in.
Honestly, I usually have way more guy friends than girlfriends.
There will always be someone being picked on at school, and it's not going to go away.
I just feel so sexy when I'm salsa dancing and wearing the salsa clothes. I love dancing, and the salsa is just so sexy.
Coming into high school, it's scary. You don't know which group to be in, and I can't stand that it's so cliquey.
I love working with Darren Lynn Bousman. He is such a cool director with really great ideas.
I hang out with all the crew on set. It just makes it easier to work. You feel more comfortable around everyone.
I love doing comedy. It's a lot of fun.
I really look up to actors like Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett who have a strong background in theatre.
Natalie Portman is one of my favorites, and Jodie Foster. Those two are amazing actresses.
I have three friendships that have lasted a long time, but everybody else has come and gone.
I like to play paintball in my back yard.
My mom always bails me out of things when I get in trouble.
What makes Johnny Depp so brilliant is you truly have no idea what kind of character he's going to play next.
I get to play characters that kind of shock people and I enjoy doing that. I like characters that have meaning and get people in the heart. I want to be able to get people to cry or make people angry or sad.
You always hear these stories of people who grew up in Hollywood, and they're like, 'We lost our childhood.' But I was very fortunate.
My mom sent me to regular high school because she wanted me to have that experience and not say that I missed out, but I didn't like it at all. I'm more comfortable in the world that I'm in, I grew up in it so when I get around normal kids in regular high school I don't know what to do. I feel more secure in an adult environment.
I really don't get nervous when I perform -it's more of an exciting feeling than anything else. But put me in a classroom with kids my age and have me take a test and yeah, I'll be nervous!
When you're younger, there aren't very many kid actors. It's a lot easier to get jobs.
I really wanted to pursue music, but all those other girls are doing it and it is annoying.
Growing up on a set is completely different than coming onto a brand new set for the first time.
I'm already a tiny person, so now I'm trying to go to the gym to add muscle. I need it!
When a casting agent sees me, he kind of knows what he's getting.
I'd like to go to NYU business school and then go on to film school.
I've been through a marriage, and I'm still very fond of my ex-husband; but if I've learned anything, it's that relationships are about compromise.
I love taking on roles that I haven't yet done in my career.
I don't want to get stuck playing the same character over and over again.
Don't get me wrong, I'm going to play the young role as long as I can because once that ship has sailed, there's no getting back on it.
I am taking belly dancing now. My hips are double-jointed, so I can do it really easily.
