Alexa Vega is

Ruby

by Lynn Barker

Spy Kids' Alexa Vega who started her acting career as a child on TV, is back in a series for ABC Family called "Ruby and the Rockits" playing the singing teen daughter of an '80's rock legend who didn't know he was her dad until she shows up on his doorstep! David Cassidy, a huge, real life 1980's singer/heartthrob plays the dad. His bro Shaun is producing the show and bro Patrick plays the other "Rockit'.

We sat down with Alexa in Burbank at the ABC television building recently to learn a bit about the new show which premieres July 21st. She was huddled up in a blanket which covered a hot red strapless cocktail dress for a photo shoot later in the day. The actress was chilly, thus the snuggly "blankie" wrap.

AGW: So, you are a teen queen again?

Alexa: Yes. On this show I play fifteen again! I'll be 21 in August! [note: She totally looks like she could be 15!]

AGW: The whole Cassidy clan is all over this TV show.

Alexa: Yeah. It's a Cassidy project. Shaun Cassidy is producing it. David Cassidy plays my father, Patrick Cassidy plays my uncle and they have another brother Ryan Cassidy who is doing all the art direction.

AGW: How did you learn about the project? You've been doing feature films.

Alexa: I didn't really want to do TV. I wanted to stick to film. But I always said, 'in the rare occasion that a script comes up that's special, let me know'. So they called me and said 'this script for ABC Family seems special. It's about a young girl who meets her father for the first time and he just so happens to be a rock star'.

AGW: That sounds like fun immediately.

Alexa: Yeah. So I went in and had a meeting and they brought me back in to audition and the audition required that you sing. I got past the first couple of rounds but then came time for the network test and I was up against all these girls who really were 15 and 16 (again, she looks 15!). So, I felt weird being there and I had a really bad cold and had to sing. The first day was torture if you had to hear me, but the second day, I pulled it off. I'd forgotten how hard it was to land a TV show. Everybody has to approve you!

AGW: But you did sing in one of the Spy Kids movies.

Alexa: I did. Robert (Rodriguez) and I have always goofed around in his studio just playing and one day he was like 'hey, sing this' and he recorded it and he called me a bit later and said 'guess what? We're putting that in the movie'. I'm like "what!' 'Yeah, it sounds good'. He kind of shocked me with that stuff but it sort of opened up a whole new world for me.

AGW: Will singing be a regular part of the series?

Alexa: Every episode, there's a new song. You'll hear songs from The Rockits who are the famous '80's band, so we constantly, on the show, are pretending to go on YouTube to look up their '80's videos. They put these crazy outfits on and have crazy hair. Shaun Cassidy has written so many great, wanna-be '80's songs for David and Patrick to sing on the show. My mom loves it!

AGW: But you sing yourself separately?

Alexa: Ruby, who loves music and lets all her emotion out in her music, sings in every episode. What's really great about this show is we want young girls to relate to Ruby so we sing it live. We want to keep that raw feeling. We want it to be relatable. So, instead of it sounding all perfect with all the mechanical stuff in there, we sing it live and if you mess up, that gives it a little bit of charm and heart.

AGW When you sing, is in like as part of a performance?

Alexa: It's like a performance. There are two boys on the show and one of them writes complete downer songs like (she sings) 'My life is soooo depressing' so when Ruby comes into their lives, she kind of brightens up his world and helps him work on his music to make it brighter and happier. There's a lot of music writing and song writing in the show. They want to start a band in the show and they hold try-outs. It's cool how we are able to incorporate music in a fun family sitcom.

AGW: Are the showrunners open to your suggestions?

Alexa: Yes. They brought each of the cast members in separately to a writers' meeting, 'do you have any ideas for the show? Where would you like to see this character go? What are some things you think we are doing right?' It's great to have that kind of input.

AGW: What kind of music are you really into?

Alexa: Nowadays, a lot of kids are listening to '80's music. They've been exposed to that. So my own music style is very eclectic. I love everything from Steve Miller Band to John Mayer or Jack Johnson. I also love Country music. Gorgeous men in Country music!

AGW: Have you watched David and Patrick shoot one of these '80's retro videos?

Alexa: No but apparently some of the clothes they are wearing were really David's concert clothes in the '80's! He pulled them out of storage. It was hilarious!

AGW: Who do you want as a guest on the show?

Alexa: I think it would be so funny to get Rick Astley of yougotrickrolled.com on the show and RickRoll people. It would be funny to have him on.

AGW: Do you have any ambitions to direct some day?

Alexa: Ever since I was little I'd say 'I love acting but, when I'm older, I want to be a director'. That comes from being the oldest of six kids. You direct your entire life basically [she laughs]. That would be amazing. I would love to. As I get older, I've been able to take away a lot of things from sets and work with great directors like Robert Rodriguez. Things that will help me in the future. Hopefully, one day, I'll get that opportunity.

Catch Alexa and the Cassidy clan on ABC Family starting July 21st.

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