Alexa PenaVega has it all. The former child star, known for her role in Spy Kids, seems to have avoided the child star curse. She didn’t waste her money or lose her career. She kept working and became a Hallmark star before signing with Great American Family. She has a happy home life and has been married to Carlos PenaVega since 2014. They combined their last names and have three children. Ocean, Kingston, and Rio.

But no life is perfect. PenaVega knows that. The Hallmark star has faced many challenges, including struggles with her body image and a devastating loss. PenaVega relies on her Christian faith to cope with marriage and public life challenges. 

She lived with an eating disorder for six years.

As a young star, she developed an eating disorder after movie producers criticized her weight. She was afraid that if the public found out she had bulimia, it would hurt her image. 

In 2015, she finally opened up about her six-year battle with bulimia while competing on “Dancing With the Stars.” 

PenaVega is open about her bulimia to help others. 

Alexa PenaVega’s first marriage was short. She married Sean Covel on October 10, 2010. PenaVega was 21 when she married the 34-year-old film producer and 23 when she divorced him.

She dealt with infertility and pregnancy loss. Alexa PenaVega carried guilt over her eating disorder for a long time, especially after deciding she wanted to be a mom. The star was worried that her eating disorder had damaged her body and made it hard for her to get pregnant. “We tried to get pregnant for six months without luck,” she told Fit Pregnancy and Baby in 2016 (via People).

PenaVega had her first son, Ocean, later that year. He was followed by two more sons, Kingston and Rio. But in 2024, she lost her fourth child, a daughter named Indy.

They were devastated by the loss. 

People said Alexa PenaVega was a lousy mom.

Alexa PenaVega is devoted to her family, especially her kids. She left Hollywood to provide them with a normal lifestyle. The family moved to Hawaii in 2017, sold their property during the pandemic to live on a boat, and moved to Tennessee in 2023. “We never had a break when we lived in California,” she told People. “The industry is always on.” We needed a place to reconnect. Both PenaVegas are still in the industry but often work together on projects, including several Hallmark movies. This helps them keep the family together. 

Social media loves a villain. It will create one out of thin air. PenaVega was criticized by the public after her son lost part of his finger in 2021. She accidentally closed a door on the 2-year-old’s hand while getting her kids ready for bed.

People accused the actor of slamming the door on purpose (even though they didn’t think she meant to hurt her kid). PenaVega posted a video on Instagram explaining what happened. She said she closed the door gently, but Kingston got caught in the hinges. “I’ll never please everyone. Some people are ugly. I pray for them,” she wrote.

The PenaVegas marriage hit a rough patch.

Celebrity marriages often end quickly, but some couples make it work. It takes hard work, though. Alexa PenaVega and her husband, Carlos PenaVega, are very close but struggle. The Hallmark stars were on the verge of a split. “I’ve always said marriage is beautiful and holy,” PenaVega told Us Weekly in 2023. “It’s sacred.” And you go through rough times. “There was a time in our marriage where we would have broken up if we weren’t married.” She added, “Life is tough.” “It’s hard.”

PenaVega says they are stronger for it. “We got closer after we overcame our biggest marriage struggles,” she told The War Cry. The two have written a memoir, “What If Love Is the Point?” about their love story and how they keep their marriage strong.