Photo:Rico Torres/Dimension/Kobal/Shutterstock
Rico Torres/Dimension/Kobal/Shutterstock
It’s been over 20 years sinceSpy Kidsfirst premiered in theaters.Originally released in March 2001,the film follows two young children, Carmen and Juni, who learn that their parents are secret spies and go on a mission to save them.With a star-studded cast and family-centric plot, the movie was an instant hit and eventually spawned two additional sequels,Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams(2002) andSpy Kids 3-D: Game Over(2003), with most of the main cast reprising their roles.In 2011, a standalone sequel titledSpy Kids: All the Time in the Worldwas released, following a new generation of young spies.Now the franchise is getting rebooted again with the fifth film,Spy Kids: Armageddon, starring Gina Rodriguez and Zachary Levi.With the new film’s release, here’s what the originalSpy Kidscast has been up to since the third film was released in 2003.
It’s been over 20 years sinceSpy Kidsfirst premiered in theaters.
Originally released in March 2001,the film follows two young children, Carmen and Juni, who learn that their parents are secret spies and go on a mission to save them.
With a star-studded cast and family-centric plot, the movie was an instant hit and eventually spawned two additional sequels,Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams(2002) andSpy Kids 3-D: Game Over(2003), with most of the main cast reprising their roles.
In 2011, a standalone sequel titledSpy Kids: All the Time in the Worldwas released, following a new generation of young spies.
Now the franchise is getting rebooted again with the fifth film,Spy Kids: Armageddon, starring Gina Rodriguez and Zachary Levi.
With the new film’s release, here’s what the originalSpy Kidscast has been up to since the third film was released in 2003.
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Alexa PenaVega as Carmen Cortez
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Daryl Sabara as Juni Cortez
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After appearing on various ‘90s shows such asMurphy Brown,FriendsandWill and Grace, Daryl Sabara got his big break when he was cast as the anxious and sensitive young spy, Juni Cortez, inSpy Kids. Like PenaVega, Sabara reprised his role in the film’s two sequels as well as the 2011 filmSpy Kids: All the Time in the World.
In 2016, Sabara made headlines for his romantic life ashe began dating singer Meghan Trainor. They became engaged in December 2017 and married in December 2018, Trainor’s 25th birthday.
In February 2021,they welcomed a son named Riley, who they constantly post photos of on social media. In January 2023, they announced they were expecting their second child, and Trainor gave birth to another boy named Barry in July.
03of 12Antonio Banderas as Gregorio CortezMaximum Film/Alamy Stock Photo; A. Perez Meca/Europa Press via GettyWith roles inInterview with the Vampire,EvitaandThe Mask of Zorro,Antonio Banderashad a long-established career when he took the role of Gregorio Cortez, an undercover spy and father to Carmen and Juni, inSpy Kids.Shortly after starring in the first threeSpy Kidsfilms, Banderas voiced Puss in Boots inShrek 2, a role he would continue to reprise over the years, including 2022’sPuss in Boots: The Last Wish.In addition to starring in family friends films such asThe SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water(2015) andDolittle(2020), Banderas has had a number of critically acclaimed roles in recent years, includingGenius(2018) which earned him an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination andPain and Glory(2019) which earned him best actor at the Cannes Film Festival.Banderas was married to Melanie Griffith from May 1996 until the two announced their split in June 2014, and their divorce was finalized the following year. Despite their split, the two (who share daughter Stella) have remained close friends, with Griffith’s daughter Dakota Johnsoncalling him a “bonus dad.”Banderas is currentlyin a relationship with model Nicole Kimpel, who he first started dating following his divorce from Griffith.
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Antonio Banderas as Gregorio Cortez
Maximum Film/Alamy Stock Photo; A. Perez Meca/Europa Press via Getty
With roles inInterview with the Vampire,EvitaandThe Mask of Zorro,Antonio Banderashad a long-established career when he took the role of Gregorio Cortez, an undercover spy and father to Carmen and Juni, inSpy Kids.
Shortly after starring in the first threeSpy Kidsfilms, Banderas voiced Puss in Boots inShrek 2, a role he would continue to reprise over the years, including 2022’sPuss in Boots: The Last Wish.
In addition to starring in family friends films such asThe SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water(2015) andDolittle(2020), Banderas has had a number of critically acclaimed roles in recent years, includingGenius(2018) which earned him an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination andPain and Glory(2019) which earned him best actor at the Cannes Film Festival.
Banderas was married to Melanie Griffith from May 1996 until the two announced their split in June 2014, and their divorce was finalized the following year. Despite their split, the two (who share daughter Stella) have remained close friends, with Griffith’s daughter Dakota Johnsoncalling him a “bonus dad.”
Banderas is currentlyin a relationship with model Nicole Kimpel, who he first started dating following his divorce from Griffith.
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Carla Gugino as Ingrid Cortez
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In 2001, she starred inSpy Kidsas Ingrid Cortez, a mother who is secretly a spy with her husband. Like her costars, she also appeared in the film’s two sequels.
Recently, she gained critical acclaim for her role in the hit Netflix seriesThe Haunting of Hill House(2018). She also appeared in the second season of the anthology seriesThe Haunting of Bly Manorin 2020.
As for her personal life, Gugino has been in a relationship with director Sebastián Gutiérrez since 1996.
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Alan Cumming as Fegan Floop
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Alan Cumming was already an accomplished actor when he bookedSpy Kids, having previously earned a Tony for his role as the Emcee in Broadway’sCabaret(1998), in addition to notable film roles inEmma(1996),Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion(1997),Spice World(1997) and more.
In theSpy Kidstrilogy, Cumming played Fegan Floop, an eccentric television star of a children’s program that Juni loves and the initial antagonist of the first film.
As for his romantic life, Cumming andhis partner Grant Shaffertied the knot in a civil ceremony in 2007 and got married again five years later. In September 2017, Cumming and Shaffer joined creative forces as they worked together on the children’s bookThe Adventures of Honey & Leonabouttheir “dearly departed doggies.”
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Danny Trejo as Isador “Machete” Cortez
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The role was a turning point in Trejo’s career as he later went on to play the character of Machete inGrindhouse(2007),Planet Terror(2007),Machete(2010) andMachete Kills(2013).
He has had numerous other film roles, including Bubble Boy(2001),xXx(2002),Once Upon a Time in Mexico(2003),Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy(2004),Predators(2010), as well as appearances onSons of AnarchyandAmerican Horror Stories. In 2021, he competed onThe Masked Singeras Raccoon.
As for his personal life, Trejo is the father of three children from past relationships. He’s also the owner of eight Los Angeles restaurants including Trejo’s Tacos, Trejo’s Cantina, and Trejo’s Coffee and Donuts.
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Cheech Marin as Felix Gumm
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On the personal front, Marin is the father of three children from previous relationships. In 2009, he marriedhis longtime girlfriend Natasha Rubinin a sunset ceremony at their Malibu home.
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Tony Shalhoub as Alexander Minion
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A year after the firstSpy Kidsfilm was released, Shalhoub landed the starring role of Adrian Monk onMonk, which earned him critical acclaim during its eight-season run, including three Primetime Emmy Awards.
Over the years, he has also had acting credits in theCarstrilogy,How Do You Know(2010),Pain & Gain(2013) andNurse Jackie. Additionally, he has acted on the stage, winning the Tony Award for best actor in a musical for his performance as Tewfiq Zakaria inThe Band’s Visitin 2017.
As for his personal life, Shalhoub has been married to actress Brooke Adams since 1992, and together they have two children.
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Ricardo Montalbán as Grandfather Valentin Avellan
Long before his breakout in Hollywood, Ricardo Montalbán gained prominence in his hometown of Mexico, notably starring inSanta(1943). After starring in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’sFiesta(1947), the production company signed him to a long-term contract, paving the way for countless other Hollywood roles, including thePlanet of the Apesfilm series and the originalStar Trektelevision series.
In 2002, he joined theSpy Kidscast as he played Valentin Avellan, the grandfather of Juni and Carmen Cortez, in the second film. He later reprised his role in the third film, taking on a larger role as he helped Juni through the mysterious video gameGame Over.
On January 14, 2009, Montalbán died in Los Angeles at the age of 88, two years after his wife Georgiana Young died at age 83 in 2007.
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Holland Taylor as Grandmother Helga Avellan
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BeforeSpy Kids, Holland Taylor was already an Emmy-winning actress for her role onThe Practice, with many other notable roles under her belt, includingThe Truman ShowandLegally Blonde.
In 2002, Taylor joined theSpy Kidscast as she played Carmen and Juni’s grandmother, Montalbán’s onscreen wife, in the second film. She later reprised her role in the third film,Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over.
In 2015, Holland revealed that she was in her first “deeply committed relationship,” with a woman she later revealed to be actress Sarah Paulson.The two have been together ever since, and often give glimpses of their romance on the red carpet and social media.
11of 12Matt O’Leary as Gary GigglesDimension/courtesy Everett Collection; Daniel Boczarski/GettyMatt O’Leary first made his acting debut in the Disney Channel original movieMom’s Got a Date with a Vampirein 2000, just two years before starring inSpy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams. In the film, he plays Gary Giggles, an OSS agent who acts as a rival to Juni and Carmen. Like his costars, O’Leary also made a small appearance in the third film.He kept steadily working followingSpy Kids, including various independent films such asBrick(2005) andNatural Selection(2011), the latter of which earned him the breakthrough performance award at the 2011 SXSW Film Festival.He also appeared on a handful of notable shows, includingCSI: Crime Scene Investigation,Project Blue BookandAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but seems to have taken a step away from acting in recent years, with the Marvel series being his latest role onhis IMDb page.
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Matt O’Leary as Gary Giggles
Dimension/courtesy Everett Collection; Daniel Boczarski/Getty
Matt O’Leary first made his acting debut in the Disney Channel original movieMom’s Got a Date with a Vampirein 2000, just two years before starring inSpy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams. In the film, he plays Gary Giggles, an OSS agent who acts as a rival to Juni and Carmen. Like his costars, O’Leary also made a small appearance in the third film.
He kept steadily working followingSpy Kids, including various independent films such asBrick(2005) andNatural Selection(2011), the latter of which earned him the breakthrough performance award at the 2011 SXSW Film Festival.
He also appeared on a handful of notable shows, includingCSI: Crime Scene Investigation,Project Blue BookandAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but seems to have taken a step away from acting in recent years, with the Marvel series being his latest role onhis IMDb page.
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Emily Osment as Gerti Giggles
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In 2005, Osment was cast as Lilly Truscott in theDisney Channel seriesHannah Montana, a role that would skyrocket her career. During her time onHannah Montana, she starred in a handful of films, includingCyberbullyandThe Haunting Hour: Don’t Think About It. She also embarked on a singing career, with her debut EPAll the Right Wrongsand debut albumFight or Flight.
As for her personal life, Osmentannounced her engagementto boyfriend Jack Anthony in anInstagram postin July 2023. She wrote that she is “deliriously happy” in the caption while describing her now-fiancé as a “magical, beautiful, kaleidoscope of a person.”
source: people.com
