Carla Gugino (born August 29, 1971) is an actress known for her role as Ingrid Cortez in the Spy Kids movies and the title role in the TV series Karen Sisco. Born in Sarasota, Florida to an Italian-Irish father and a mother of English descent. Her mother moved the family to Paradise, California, when she was four years old. Despite moving around California a great deal as a child, Carla Gugino remained a straight-A student and graduated valedictorian. At the age of 15 she was spotted by a modeling agency in San Diego and moved to New York. This was unusual as at only 5 feet 4 inches (1.65 meters) tall, she was