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Miami native Alexa Vega spent the first four years of her life living on a Florida ranch, after which her family moved to California. Her mother was a former fashion model, and her father was a fashion photographer from Columbia and also served as an informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. 

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Early Acting Years

Alexa got her acting start when she was still a child. In 1996, she landed a role on Twister as Jo Harding, which led to numerous appearances on various TV shows and movies. She appeared on shows such as Follow the Stars Home, The Bernie Mac Show, ER, and Ghost Whisperer. The role that solidified her standing as a star, however, didn't happen until 2001, when she began portraying Carmen Cortez in Spy Kids. Spy Kids was so successful that it inspired three sequels: Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, Spy Kids 3D, and Spy Kids All the Time in the World. The last sequel was filmed in 2011, and Alexa played the adult version of Carmen Cortez. Unlike most actors both child and adult, Alexa performed the majority of her character's stunts herself. Alexa was named one of the hottest teen stars of the year in 2003 by iconic culture magazine Vanity Fair. 

Definitely a Non-Material Girl

Unlike many of those who come upon fame and fortune at an early age, Alexa's life hasn't been dominated by excesses in spending, broken relationships, and substance abuse -- she's clearly got her feet firmly on the ground. The happily married mom makes a point of making no secret of putting family and faith first. She's also an avid nature lover and has recently paired up with TakeMeFishing.org for the purpose of encouraging people to get out in nature as often as possible and to introduce their children to outdoor activities. 

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Alexa kept busy with a full schedule during the years after Spy Kid, appearing in movies such as Big Time Rush, Machette Kills, The Devil's Carnival, and The Clockwork Girl. She also enjoyed a stint in Dancing With the Stars in 2015.

Alexa's Recording Career

Alexa's talents aren't just confined to acting -- she began sharing her singing talent with the world during her Spy Kid days by performing songs as her character. She released a single called "Isle of Dreams" and has performed songs in a variety of films and television programs. 

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Personal Life and Love

In 2010, Alexa and film producer Sean Covell tied the knot in the groom's South Dakota hometown. Two years later, however, Alexa announced via Twitter that she and Sean had parted ways. A year later, she met and became engaged to Carlos Pena Jr., an actor and singer who shares her strong Christian faith. In 2014, the two slipped away to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and got married. As a symbol of their undying love for one another, they came to the mutual decision to combine their last names, and they both go by PenaVega. 

Carlos and Alexa are the parents of two beautiful boys. Their children were born in 2106 and 2019, respectively, and the couple has repeatedly stated that their children and their faith will always come first in their lives. However, they remain firmly committed to their careers as well and have gone into a variety of joint ventures since they've been married. They share a YouTube Channel and hope to appear in musical performances and to star in films and television specials together in the future.

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After finishing up with Dancing With the Stars, Alexa came clean with her fans about something that was a problem in her life for a number of years. She had struggled with bulimia and was finally able to overcome it, citing her strong faith as her major source of inspiration as she battled the condition. Alexa hopes to serve as a role model and mentor for others who have found themselves in similar struggles.