The 2000s made a great decade for spectacular spy, comedy, and action movies, thanks to thrilling offerings like the Spy Kids trilogy. The first movie in the popular franchise was released in 2001, bursting with high-tech gadgets and fun-filled sequences. Spy Kids chronicles the life of top international spies Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez (Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino), who return to work as spies on a secret mission after trading their espionage days for parenthood. The main fun starts when their two kids, Carmen (Alexa PenaVega) and Juni Cortez (Daryl Sabara), channel their inner spy to save their parents from terrorists.
In the years following the release of the original Spy Kids movie, it gained a cult following and spawned two back-to-back sequels: Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (2002) and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003) in the 2000s. Overall, the Spy Kids franchise consists of four sequels and an animated television series. The original movie was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” Spy Kids stands out for flawlessly drawing inspiration from the James Bond movies, Willy Wonka, and some relatable organisations and people. Explore the amazing cast of the original Spy Kids movie. What have they been up to?
Alexa PenaVega (Carmen Cortez)
Playing Carmen Cortez in 2001 launched Alexa PenaVega to global fame, and she has not looked back since then. She reprised the role in the first two sequels in 2002 and 2003, respectively. After her Spy Kids fame, PenaVega appeared in other notable movies, including Sleepover (2004), State’s Evidence (2006), Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008), Café (2010), and From Prada to Nada (2011). She returned to play a grown Carmen in Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011). Most recently, PenaVega voiced Carlota Cassagrande in The Casagrandes Movie (2024) and was a main cast member in the The Casagrandes television series from 2019 to 2022.
Daryl Sabara (Juni Cortez)
Like PenaVega, Daryl Sabara gained recognition for his role in the original Spy Kids movie and returned to star as Juni Cortez in the next three sequels, including the 2011 installment. He also played Junito in the spin-off Machete (2010). He has played prominent roles in other movies such as World’s Greatest Dad, April Showers (both in 2009), John Carter (2012), After the Dark (2013), and Teen Lust (2014). Sabara has also showcased his voice skills in several animated projects, including Ben 10 Versus The Universe: The Movie (2020) and a variety of TV shows. On the small screen, he is known for his appearances on Weeds as Tim Scoottson and Wizards of Waverly Place as T.J. Taylor. He appeared as a guest on Australian Idol in 2023.
Danny Trejo (Isador “Machete” Cortez)
Known for his extensive body of work as a character actor, Danny Trejo has appeared in over 250 films and television projects. He played a key role as a gadget inventor and the uncle of the Cortez kids in the first four Spy Kids movies, and reprised the role in the spin-off films Machete (2010) and Machete Kills (2013). Trejo is also known for his voice roles in films such as Storks (2016) and Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022). He also voiced many video game characters. His recent film projects include Death on the Border (2023), The Night They Came Home (2024), and the 2025 movies, The Wrecker and Zootopia 2.
Antonio Banderas (Gregorio Cortez)
Antonio Banderas is a movie legend with numerous accolades. The Spanish actor played the father of Carmen and Juni in Spy Kids and reprised the role in the next three sequels. He is also known for playing the iconic Zorro in The Mask of Zorro (1998) and The Legend of Zorro (2005). In recent years, he has appeared in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022), Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), several 2024 movies, including Cult Killer, The Clean Up Crew, and Babygirl. Banderas has some works in the pipeline, including Rose’s Baby and Tony.
Carla Gugino (Ingrid Cortez)
Her role as the mother of Carmen and Juni Cortez in the Spy Kids trilogy brought her wider recognition, but Carla Gugino had already gained fame in the 1990s. She is also known for such movies as Race to Witch Mountain (2009), Mr. Popper’s Penguins (2011), San Andreas (2015), Gerald’s Game (2017), Gunpowder Milkshake (2021), Lisa Frankenstein (2024), and Heads of State (2025). She is part of the cast of the 2026 film The Adventures of Cliff Booth. On the small screen, Gugino has appeared in Manhunt: Deadly Games, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass, The Fall of the House of Usher, and The Girls on the Bus.
Follow Us
