Carla Gugino Reflects on Her Relationships with ‘Dear Friend’ Alan Cumming and Other Spy Kids Costars 24 Years Later (Exclusive)

• Actress Carla Gugino tells PEOPLE she still keeps in touch with some of her Spy Kids costars, including ‘dear friend’ Alan Cumming
• “That was such a beautiful experience for all of us, so it’s crazy that it’s been that long,” Gugino says of the franchise, which debuted in 2001
• Gugino also reflects on how the movie series has “taken on a life of its own”

Twenty-four years after the premiere of the hit movie series Spy Kids, Carla Gugino is reminiscing about the many friendships she made through the experience.

At the New York City premiere of her latest film The Friend on March 24, Gugino told PEOPLE she still keeps in touch with some of her Spy Kids costars.

“Antonio [Banderas], Alan Cumming, who is a dear, dear friend, Tony Shalhoub,” Gugino says. “It’s such an amazing group of actors. I also was just in Austin, Texas, for some film awards and I saw [Spy Kids director] Robert Rodriguez, and he’s just a total gem.”

In the movies, Gugino plays secret spy mother Ingrid Cortez alongside Banderas as her husband Gregorio Cortez and Daryl Sabara and Alexa PenaVega as her children Juni and Carmen.

“That was such a beautiful experience for all of us, so it’s crazy that it’s been that long,” Gugino says of the Spy Kids franchise, which debuted in 2001, and was followed by two sequels in 2002 and 2003. Two additional films were released in 2011 and 2023, with mostly new cast members.

Gugino recalled how she was seemingly a misfit for the role of Ingrid when filming began. “I was 27 when I did that role so I was way too young to play the part because I was supposed to have been a spy for 10 years and then I had two kids, who were like 9 and 11,” she explains. “Robert looked at me and was like, ‘You do your job and no one will notice.’ ”

Addressing Spy Kids‘ impact, Gugino tells PEOPLE she feels the series “continues generationally,” and that it’s “one of those timeless movies which I really appreciate — it’s taken on its own life.”

Gugino’s latest project The Friend sees her in a supporting role alongside Naomi Watts in a story of friendship and grief as Watt’s character adopts a 150-lb. Great Dane following the death of its owner, played by Bill Murray.

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Gugino tells PEOPLE she has known Watts, 56, for a long time but never had a chance to work with her before.

“She actually called me and said, ‘Hey, do you want to come play for a week on this film?’ ” the actress recalls. “I came in and just popped in for a few days to film, so it was just really nice to have the history that we have together.”

As the movie unfolds, Gugino and Watt’s characters, who had lost touch with each other, come together following the death of Murray’s character. “This is this moment after his death where they actually reunite and find their friendship again,” Gugino notes. “I thought that was really beautifully done.” 

Gugino also shared what it was like to work with the film’s four-legged star, Bing. 

“Bing is bigger than any of us, and just an amazing dog and such a total pro, so it was a great experience all around,” she says.