{"id":248434,"date":"2026-06-25T21:37:15","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T21:37:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/25\/alexa-penavega-and-daryl-sabara-reflect-on-spy-kids-25-years-later-it-was-the-opposite-of-the-horror-stories\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T21:37:15","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T21:37:15","slug":"alexa-penavega-and-daryl-sabara-reflect-on-spy-kids-25-years-later-it-was-the-opposite-of-the-horror-stories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/25\/alexa-penavega-and-daryl-sabara-reflect-on-spy-kids-25-years-later-it-was-the-opposite-of-the-horror-stories\/","title":{"rendered":"Alexa PenaVega and Daryl Sabara Reflect on \u2018Spy Kids\u2019 25 Years Later: It Was \u2018the Opposite of the Horror Stories\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Twenty-five years after saving the world as sibling secret agents, Alexa PenaVega<\/strong><\/a> and Daryl Sabara<\/strong><\/a> are looking back on their Spy Kids<\/em> journey with nothing but fond memories.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is honestly, like, the opposite of the horror stories you hear. It was genuine,\u201d PenaVega, 37, exclusively told Us Weekly<\/em> while reflecting on her experience as an up-and-coming child star.<\/p>\n

The duo \u2014 who are currently partnering up with The Salvation Army<\/a> to shine a light on the incredible impact these summer camps have on children and families \u2014 said they got a warm welcome on set from some of the biggest names in Hollywood, which is something they will both forever cherish.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlan Cumming<\/strong> was like a superhero for me,\u201d Sabara, 34, told Us<\/em> about filming alongside the actor, 61, who portrayed mad scientist Fegan Floop in the 2001 movie before reprising his role in its two sequels: Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams<\/em> and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over<\/em>. \u201cAlan, Carla<\/strong> [Gugino<\/strong>], Antonio [Banderas<\/strong>] \u2026 they didn\u2019t treat us like kids, like they treated us like peers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were so amazing<\/a>,\u201d PenaVega echoed.<\/p>\n

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\n Daryl Sabara and Alexa PenaVega<\/span> Miramax\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the original film, viewers are introduced to Sabara and PenaVega\u2019s characters, Carmen and Juni Cortez, who discover their parents, Gregorio [Banderas] and Ingrid [Gugino], are retired top secret spies following their abduction, leading the kids to follow in their footsteps in order to get their mom and dad back home safe.<\/p>\n

\u201cAntonio was coming off Zorro, so he was a superhero,\u201d Sabara told Us<\/em>. \u201cI have a signed VHS somewhere, yeah, of The Mask of Zorro, but yeah, they were basically like pretend mom and dad<\/a> \u2026 and just everyone took such great care of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The original film was a massive box office success, grossing nearly $150 million worldwide. Fans got to see the cast reunite in Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams<\/em> (2002) and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over<\/em> (2003).<\/p>\n

\u201cWe [feel] beyond blessed to have had just so many great movies back to back with that group, because it was very special,\u201d PenaVega, now a mom of three with husband Carlos PenaVega<\/strong>, told Us<\/em>. (Sabara, for his part, has been married to pop star Meghan Trainor<\/strong><\/a> since December 2018 and the pair share three children as well.)<\/p>\n

Years after the three films, Alexa and Sabara got to portray the older version of their characters in the 2011 movie Spy Kids: All the Time in the World<\/em>. There was also a fifth film, Spy Kids: Armageddon<\/em>, in 2023, starring Gina Rodriguez<\/strong> and Zachary Levi<\/strong>, in which the OG stars did not reprise their roles.<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>‘Spy Kids’ Cast: Where Are They Now? Alexa PenaVega and More<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tDirector Robert Rodriguez smashed box-office expectations with his family film Spy Kids. Featuring Rodriguez\u2019s frequent collaborators Antonio Banderas, Danny Trejo and Cheech Marin, the 2001 action comedy is also known as the project that launched the careers of titular kids Alexa PenaVega and Daryl Sabara. The movie follows Carmen Cortez (PenaVega) and her brother, Juni [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cIt teaches beautiful lessons and values,\u201d PenaVega said of the franchise. \u201cSo I think for a lot of different families, all walks of life, also we were a Hispanic family too, which there were not a lot of films with a multicultural family, like, in the forefront, and I think that was special too.\u201d<\/p>\n

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