What Happened To Alexa PenaVega's First Husband Sean Covel?
Alexa PenaVega has found love again with her husband, Carlos PenaVega. The "Spy Kids" alum and the Big Time Rush member began dating in 2012 after the two met at a bible study group in Los Angeles, California. At the time, Alexa had just separated from her ex-husband, Sean Covel, and was not actively searching for love — least of all from actors and musicians, which Carlos happens to be both. "I didn't want anybody in the entertainment industry. No actors, no singers," Alexa told Fox News in 2022. "He was everything on my no-list."
Nevertheless, she soon found herself falling for Carlos, and in 2013, the two announced that they were engaged after just one year of dating. (As they say... when you know, you know.) The pair married in a private ceremony in Mexico in 2014 and decided to combine their last names, Pena and Vega. "We always loved the idea of making our names PenaVega... We were like, 'You know what? If we could have a fresh start and be PenaVega, let's do it!' But we didn't think it was actually possible legally," Alexa shared during a 2022 chat with Uinterview. Ever since they tied the knot, she and Carlos have become the parents of three beautiful children — sons Kingston and Ocean, and a daughter named Rio. In 2018, Alexa opened up about how her life has changed since becoming a mother. "Life just feels fuller. I always felt my life had a purpose, but it's just so much more purposeful now," she told The Void. "My heart has grown so much."
But whatever happened to her ex-husband, Sean?
Sean Covel hasn't remarried
Alexa PenaVega was just 22 years old when she married film producer Sean Covel in 2010. However, it appears their union wasn't meant to be, and the two called it quits on their marriage in 2012, less than two years later. According to TMZ, the duo cited "irreconcilable differences" as the catalyst of their split. Since their divorce, Covel — who is widely recognized for his work on the film "Napoleon Dynamite" — has not remarried and has kept himself rather busy working on other films such as "Concrete Blondes," "Driving Blind," "Carter & June," and "Tater Tot & Patton." He has also been heavily involved in various philanthropic activities, including founding the food sustainability program 12 Days of Pizza in 2015 and the "Porter the Hoarder" Family Engagement Project in 2019. Both projects aim to give back to communities in South Dakota, where Covel grew up.
In addition to being a film producer and philanthropist, Covel also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts, where he teaches film creative development and finance strategies under the Peter Stark Producing graduate program, according to his LinkedIn profile. He is also an active keynote speaker, giving talks at universities and international film festivals, and hosted a talk about the mental framework of problem-solving at a TEDx Talk event in Rapid City, South Dakota, back in 2019.
He and Alexa remained good friends
The split appeared amicable, as Alexa PenaVega and her ex-husband, Sean Covel, remained friends after their divorce. In 2013, the "Spy Kids" alum opened up about her relationship with Covel while reflecting on their split in an interview with People. "I've been through a marriage and I'm still very fond of my ex-husband, but if I've learned anything it's that relationships are about compromise," she said. But compromising doesn't mean you have to change who you are, according to Alexa. "There are compromises like where you want to eat, what color you want to paint the wall ... but [that's it]. ... Never compromise yourself," she said.
The actor also shared how she knew her husband, Carlos PenaVega, was the one. "He's pretty incredible, that one. I've never met anybody who is as driven and as motivated and inspires me as much as Carlos does," she said.
Following news that Alexa and Carlos were engaged, Covel took to social media to congratulate his ex-wife on the milestone. Sharing a message for the couple on X, formerly Twitter, the producer said, "Deepest congratulations to @alexavega and @TheCarlosPena! May your days be happy, lives be long, and your children, somehow, be tall. ;-)" Despite their past, it's clear that Alexa and Sean have moved on with their lives and continue to support each other, even from afar.