Sleepover at Alexa's! Alexa Vega has traded spying for Sleepovers. But don't tell her she's gorgeous or she'll shoot you with her air-pump gun.

Alexa Vega isn't like most actresses, Heck. she isn't even like most 15-year-old girls. She'd rather shoot a hot guy with an air-pump gun than kiss him. Ask her about makeup, and she'll say it's way more fun to go outside and get dirty, than to get all dolled up and go out on the town. If pressed to choose between the ultimate all-girl sleepover or camping with bugs, mud and moldy tents, Alexa would choose the dang bugs.

But that's Alexa's combo-identity: a glare Hollywood star who also happens to be a bona fide tomboy ... and proud of it, thank you. What do you expect from a girl who has spent the last five years doing hardcore battle against the bad guys in three Spy Kids movies?

The Spy Kids serifs behind her (no, sadly, there won't be another one), Alexa has traded action for antics in her new movie Sleepover opening July 9. Alexa plays Julie, a nice but not-so-popular girl who happens to throw a sleepover the same night as the school's "it" clique. The night turns into an all-out contest for the top spot in the caf. "It takes place in the summer before our freshman year in high school," says Alexa. "I'm competing against the super-popular girls for the best table in the school cafeteria. We decide to have a treasure hunt to see who wins."

Did Alexa draw on personal experience to play the part of Julie? Not exactly. Alexa says she would never knock herself our for something as superficial as popularity. "At some point, I think everybody goes through a phase where they're like 'Oh, I could be a little bit more popular if only did X or Y or Z," she says. "I've tried to impress my friends by, like, maybe trying to dress a little bit cooler instead of being myself, but I think everybody does that. Now I knew that not being Miss Popular doesn't make you a loser."

As each sleepover squad determines the other team's list of scavenger hunt items, the movie gets, um, very interesting! Says Alexa, "This popular girl knows I'm in love with this one guy Steve, so she puts down that I have to steal a pair of his boxer shorts! That was a funny scene to film!"

Julia's crush Steve happens to be played by Sean Faris, whom Alexa is more than happy to chat about: "Sean is a very hot guy who is just the sweetest!"

In the movie, Steve is Julie's first kiss. So was Alexa nervous about making out with a babe like Sean? "Joe Nussbaum, the director, wanted to get us really comfortable with each other," reports Alexa, "so that when we did the kissing scene, it wouldn't be scary. So literally every time Sean came on set, the director would make us rehearse." Wait, rehearse? Does that mean rehearse the scene or just practice kissing? "Just kissing!" she says with a giggle. "It was fun. I liked it."

Shocking! Alexa the tomboy dug being directed to kiss a dude? "I know! I was basically getting kissed every single day," she says, all jokey. "I wouldn't even ask. [Sean] just did it. I was like, 'I'm OK with it!' You gotta take one for the team!"

While Sleepover gives Alexa the chance to show America her comedic chops, it also gives America the chance to see Alexa's transformation from Spy Kid to Gorgeous Girl.

And, truth be told, this glam new version of herself is one Alexa is still getting used to. "I don't think of myself as great-looking," says Alexa humbly. "I'm a tomboy! I hang out with the guys. They come over, we play guitar, rock out, have fun."

So does that mean she never crushes on these guy friends, even when she hangs with them so much? "Having a crush, I think that's part of life," admits Alexa. "You're always ending up liking someone, and then not liking them the next week."

Guitar, water polo, cross-country running, snowboarding, playing spy games with air-pump guns, surfing ... Just some of the ways Alexa spends her days when she's not playing characters so different from who she is in real life.

Still, Alexa must have her moments that are purely girly, stories about experiences that involve, say, outfits and jewelry instead of helmets and knee pads. "I had a sleepover with the Sleepover girls because I wanted to get to know them better, and it definitely helped," she says. "I came up with the idea because I thought it would be fun for all the girls. But sleepovers don't always go well. It's kind of hard to please everyone. Guys are easy-going, and girls are harder to please."

We almost got Alexa into Chickland, but it's right back to the boys. So we press on and ask if she's all about dudes all the time. "I get along with little kids, too!" chirps Alexa. "I have three sisters, 13, 10 and 3, and my sisters' friends come over a lot--I'm the big sister of the neighborhood. Actually, we just bad a sleepover, even though we didn't mean for it to be one. It started off as we were building huts out of blankets, pillows, parts of the couch, and lots and lots of tape."

That's a girly sleepover--Alexa-style. "Well, boys were there," she corrects us. "It really was whoever could build the best hut won. We all built these awesome huts, and we told scary stories and then, like, randomly, one-by-one everyone just fell asleep. It wasn't supposed to be a sleepover, but it just kind of happened and it was great. I think that anything that's too planned out won't be as fun--it kind of ends up boring. If you just wing it, that's when it ends up fun."

Good advice. Out of curiosity, we ask if Alexa's ever spent time with just girls. "Actually, I just went out with my friends for the first time ever in a car, so that was really cool. It was with Hilary, and it was a good time."

Hilary ... Duff? "Yeah," Alexa responds casually, as if this little tidbit isn't the kind of stuff the teen press likes to gobble up with a gigantic spoon. "We ate burgers and fries, talked, and just had fun. We see each other at events or at auditions. I have so many friends that are her friends so, any time I see them, Hilary's around. It just became a mutual friendship."

Before we let Alexa get back to her day--a rare Saturday afternoon when she doesn't have to work--she tells us what she'd love to do other than movies. It turns out one thing Alexa has in common with all girls is big dreams about the future.

"I'm always writing, because if you start something when you're younger it will be a lot easier when you're older," she philosophizes. "I really want to go to college and learn the history of film. And I've been practicing guitar a lot. Me and the guys have been coming up with songs, and I've been taking lessons so I can get better." Back to the boys.

But that's Alexa, no matter how many ways we try to get her to talk girl-talk. Whether she keeps making movies and becomes the next Lara Croft, or gets awesome with her band and ends up like Gwen Stefani, Alexa is definitely sure of who she is--a guy's girl. Maybe if more girls had Alexa-like qualities, there'd be less real-life stories of girls fighting for popularity. Then again, if that were the reality, we wouldn't have movies like Sleepover. So let's just all be ourselves, like how Alexa is just Alexa, tomboy and all. Cool.

Mika's Sleepover
Personal Pizzas

Mika Boorem (Hannah) munches on these.

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese * 1/2 cup
chopped pepperoni * 1/2 cup tomato sauce
* 1 T. oregano * 1 tsp. garlic powder * 2 pkgs.
refrigerator buttermilk biscuits (in the dairy
section of the grocery store) * egg, beaten *
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1) Heat oven to 350 degrees. 2) Mix mozzarella,
pepperoni, tomato sauce, oregano and garlic in a
bowl. 3) Separate the biscuits. On a lightly floured
surface, use the bottom of a glass (dip the glass in flour) to flatten
the biscuits into four-inch circles. 4) Spoon a heaping tablespoon of
sauce in the center of each circle. Fold over, and pinch the edges
together. 5) Brush the tops with egg, and sprinkle with Parmesan.
6) Put on a baking sheet, and bake 10 to 12 minutes, until golden.
Makes 20 mini pocket pizzas.

Kallie's Sleepover Do's and Don'ts!

We asked Kaille Flynn Childress (Yancy) her tips for a great girls' night in ...

* DO let your parents know what activities you plan for the night--you don't want everyone bummed at a spur-of-the-moment letdown from your parents.

* DON'T be afraid to do something dorky, like a pillow fight. Those are always fun!

* DO make sure everyone has a sleeping bag and everything they need--toothbrush, toothpaste, PJs. I always have extra stuff around in case someone forgets something.

* DON'T chicken out on that dare--surprise yourself!

* DO invite your closest friends, as well as some friends that you have just met. That gives everyone a chance to make new friends.

* DON'T forget to thank everyone for coming to your party!

Scout's silly stay-up (All-Night!) Secrets

We don't think anyone gels any sleep at Scout Taylor Compton's (Farrah) house!

Prank Calls Call your favorite cute guy friends ... if they're not already at your party! Co-ed (chaperoned) sleepovers are in.

Truth or Dare The game is much more fun with friends you know well. You know who's really telling the truth ... and who's a poser.

Scrapbooks Create a scrapbook with a page for each friend to decorate.

Makeovers Hair, makeup, nails ... so much fun. Making your friends into their favorite movie stars is hilarious!

Music Ask your friends to bring CDs. (Who knew that Kallie really likes Weird Al Yankovic?)

Movies Horror movies at sleepovers always add a creepy-in-a-good-way element. Makes it more fun to scare your friends when they are coming back from the kitchen after getting a snack! Of course, make sure you rent Slumber Party Massacre 1, 2 and 3. Dressing as your favorite horror movie character is totally cool, too. One time, I went as Carrie from, of course, Carrie. Except, the fake blood stained my hair. That was not good!