“My parents can’t be spies—they’re not cool enough!”
At least that’s what Carmen (Alexa PenaVega) and Juni (Daryl Sabara) thought at the beginning of Spy Kids, the 2001 hit action flick. But c’mon, the Cortez kids should’ve known better, considering their mom and dad were played by none other than Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino in a movie created and directed by Robert Rodriguez, who was known for his grittier fare like El Mariarchi and From Dusk till Dawn.
Released on March 30, 2001, Spy Kids became one of the surprise hits of the year, grossing close to $150 million, launching the careers of its two young stars and spawning a successful franchise that includes three follow-up movies and a TV series.
Thanks to Rodriguez’s rep in Hollywood, the family-friendly film attracted some pretty big guest stars, including Emmy winner Tony Shalhoub, Teri Hatcher, Danny Trejo and George Clooney. Yes, that George Clooney.
