IT’S been 25 years since we first saw the Cortez kids suit up and save the world with nothing but a pack of electrified chewing gum and some serious sibling rivalry.
But a quarter of a century later, the stars of the 00s hit look worlds away from their OSS days. While some have ditched the limelight for a quiet life in the sun, others have become the biggest names on the planet. From Glen Powell’s “fingy” beginnings to Selena Gomez’s blink-and-you ’ll-miss-it cameo, we reveal where the OSS legends are now.
Alexa Penavega – Carmen Cortez
The feisty big sister is all grown up!
Alexa, 37, was the heart of the franchise, but these days she’s traded gadgets for the Hallmark Channel.
After a “heart reset” in 2016, she and husband Carlos PenaVega, who star in Big Time Rush, ditched Hollywood for Hawaii.
Now a mum-of-three, Alexa is a certified rom-com queen and lifestyle influencer.
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She recently bagged the Star of Texas Award to celebrate the film’s 25th anniversary, and she hasn’t aged a day!
Daryl Sabara – Juni Cortez
Little Juni isn’t so little anymore!
Daryl, 33, has undergone a massive “glow up” since his days as the awkward younger brother.
While he’s a huge name in the world of voice acting (Ben 10, anyone?), he’s now best known as one half of a major power couple.
He married pop superstar Meghan Trainor in 2018, and the pair are constantly sharing adorable snaps of their sons, Riley and Barry.
Antonio Banderas – Gregorio Cortez
The ultimate spy dad is still the coolest man in cinema.
Antonio was already a legend when he signed up, but Spy Kids made him a hero to a whole new generation.
At 65, he’s still at the top of his game, balancing Oscars nods with his iconic role as Puss in Boots.
When he’s not on a film set, he’s a massive theatre mogul in his native Spain, proving he’s still got that leading-man magic.
Carla Gugino – Ingrid Cortez
Can you believe Carla was only 28 when she played the mother of two pre-teens?
Since hanging up her spy gear, Carla has become a horror icon.
If you’ve binged The Haunting of Hill House or The Fall of the House of Usher on Netflix, you’ll know she’s the queen of screams.
She’s still one of the busiest women in the biz, with a huge role in The Exorcist franchise coming up this year.
Glen Powell – The Long-Fingered Boy
Before he was the world’s biggest heartthrob in Top Gun: Maverick and Anyone But You, Glen was a digitally-distorted kid in Spy Kids.
He played the “Long-Fingered Boy” – a role that has now gone viral as fans realise their new favourite leading man started out with freakishly long CGI hands.
Glen’s taken it in his stride, even joking about his “handy” start at major awards shows this year.
Selena Gomez – Waterpark Girl
Long before she was a billionaire beauty mogul, pop icon and the star of Only Murders in the Building, Selena had a tiny cameo as “Waterpark Girl” in the third flick.
She was just 11 years old and appeared for less than a minute.
Who knew that the kid complaining about the water being turned off would go on to be the most followed woman on Instagram?
Danny Trejo – Uncle Machete
Danny Trejo’s character (a.k.a the world’s toughest uncle) was so popular that he got his own R-rated spin-off movies.
Now 81, Danny is a legit cultural icon. When he isn’t acting, he’s running his Trejo’s Tacos empire and doing incredible work for charity.
He even headlined a massive holiday parade this year, proving that being a “Spy Kid” is for life.
Alan Cumming – Fegan Floop
The man behind the weird and wonderful Floop is now the king of reality TV.
Alan has become a household name all over again as the flamboyant, kilt-wearing host of The Traitors.
Fans can’t get enough of his dramatic exits and even more dramatic outfits.
From Floop’s Fooglies to “I’m banishing you”, he’s still the master of the reveal.
Elijah Wood – “The Guy”
Fresh off Lord of the Rings, Elijah Wood made the ultimate meta-cameo as “The Guy” – the legendary player who was supposed to beat the game but died immediately.
It remains one of the funniest moments in the franchise.
Today, Elijah is a respected indie film producer and remains one of the most beloved faces in Hollywood.
George Clooney – Devlin
He was the big boss of the OSS who went from top agent to President of the United States. And let’s be honest, George was and still is basically the President of Hollywood these days.
At 64, Clooney is still the ultimate silver fox.
When he’s not winning Best Actor awards (he just picked one up at the 2026 Movies for Grownups Awards), he’s busy being a global hero.
He and wife Amal are currently raising millions for their Foundation for Justice, even hosting a super-exclusive $170k-a-night charity retreat at their Lake Como villa.
From stopping the Toymaker to saving the world for real—George is still the G.O.A.T.
Teri Hatcher – Ms. Gradenko
Who could forget the double-crossing Ms. Gradenko? One minute she was helping the kids, the next she was trying to steal the Third Brain!
After Spy Kids, Teri became a global sensation on Desperate Housewives, but in 2026, she’s all about family and nostalgia.
She’s just launched a brand-new podcast called “Desperately Devoted” with her real-life daughter, Emerson, and her TV daughter, Andrea Bowen.
They’re dishing the dirt on Wisteria Lane and her iconic movie roles. She might have played a villain, but fans still absolutely adore her.
Emily Osment– Gerti Giggles
Before she was Miley Cyrus’s blonde-wigged bestie in Hannah Montana, Emily was the pigtail-wearing rival Gerti Giggles.
At 34, Emily is currently starring in the massive Young Sheldon spin-off, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, which was just renewed for a third season this April.
She’s so busy filming the hit show that she actually had to skip the 20th-anniversary Hannah Montana reunion last month – though she posted a teary video from the set thanking fans for sticking by her since her OSS days.
Off-screen, she’s just as winning; she tied the knot with partner Jack Anthony in 2024, though they’ve recently hit the headlines after a quiet split. Whether she’s flying with pigtail-propellers or raising a TV family in Texas, Emily is officially Hollywood royalty.
Sylvester Stallone – The Toymaker
Sly was already a cinematic heavyweight when he took on the role of the multi-personality Toymaker, but he’s proving in 2026 that he’s still the ultimate knockout.
While he’s no longer scaling mountains for that Cliffhanger reboot—which has just been retooled with Pierce Brosnan taking the lead—Stallone is dominating the small screen instead.
He’s just wrapped filming on the fourth season of his smash-hit mob drama Tulsa King, confirming the news with a heartfelt message to his “family” on set only yesterday.
At 79, he’s showing no signs of slowing down, with rumours of a final Rocky return still swirling online.
