Julie Benz

Julie Benz
Julie Benz
	Benz in 2016
Born	May 1, 1972 (age 52); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Education	New York University (BFA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1987–present
Known for	Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Angel; Dexter; No Ordinary Family; Defiance;
Spouses	John Kassir (m. 1998; div. 2007); Rich Orosco (m. 2012);

Julie Benz (born May 1, 1972^[1]^[2]) is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Darla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel (1997–2004), and as Rita Bennett on Dexter (2006–2010), for which she won the 2006 Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress and the 2009 Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Benz has also starred in the television series Roswell (1999–2000), Desperate Housewives (2010), No Ordinary Family (2010–2011), A Gifted Man (2011–2012), Defiance (2013–2015), Hawaii Five-0 (2015–2017), Training Day (2017) and Love, Victor (2021).

Her film credits include Jawbreaker (1999), The Brothers (2001), Rambo (2008), Saw V (2008), Punisher: War Zone (2008), and The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (2009).

Early life and education

Benz was born in Pittsburgh.^[3] Her mother, Joanne Marie (née Seemiller), was a figure skater, and her father, George Benz, Jr., is a surgeon in Pittsburgh.^[4]

The family settled in nearby Murrysville, Pennsylvania, when Benz was two, and she started ice skating when she was three. She attended and graduated from Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville. Benz is of German & Welsh descent.^[5]^[6]

When Benz was 14, she suffered a stress fracture in her right leg and had to take time off from skating.^[5] The following year, at age 15, Benz says she was told by an acting coach that she would never succeed as an actress. "I remember the teacher telling me I should not even try acting. I still have the report card where she was like, 'You will never be an actor. Your voice is horrible.' That was the best thing that ever happened to me because I was like, 'I'll show you'," she later said.^[7]

By 1989, with her figure skating career over, Benz became involved in local theater and was cast in the play Street Law. Her first film role was a small speaking part in "The Black Cat" segment of the Dario Argento/George A. Romero horror film Two Evil Eyes (1990).^[8] A year later, she was cast in the TV show Hi Honey, I'm Home! (1991),^[2] which was cancelled after two seasons.

After graduating from high school in 1990, Benz studied acting at New York University Tisch School of the Arts.

Career

After graduating from New York University in 1993,^[5] she moved to Los Angeles. Two weeks after her move, she obtained a bit part in a 1994 episode of Married... with Children, playing a girl who wanted to lose her virginity to Bud Bundy.^[7] Her subsequent roles included an unaired Aaron Spelling television pilot Crosstown Traffic. She starred in another unaired TV pilot called Empire in 1995. Her other TV shows included Hang Time, High Tide, Step by Step, and Boy Meets World, plus a small role in the television film The Barefoot Executive.

During the 1990s, her acting career was varied and steady. She had an uncredited role in Black Sheep and her appearance in Diagnosis: Murder as top figure skater "Julie" allowed her to demonstrate her skating talent. Later TV appearances included characters on Sliders and The Single Guy. She played Christy in the television film Hearts Adrift and a lead role as Julie Falcon in Darkdrive.

In 1996, Benz auditioned for the role of Buffy Summers for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but lost the role to Sarah Michelle Gellar. However, she was offered the small role of the vampire Darla, in the pilot episode. Her performance was so well-received that her part was expanded to a few more episodes.

This role helped launch her career and Julie appeared in guest appearances in more TV shows such as The Big Easy and Fame L.A., along with a small role as a receptionist in the film As Good as It Gets (1997). She starred in the short spoof film Eating Las Vegas and the unaired TV pilot Veronica's Video, had a small uncredited role in the television film A Walton Easter, and a small role in Inventing the Abbotts.

In 1998, she had a recurring role as Joplin Russell in the TV show Ask Harriet, then guest starred on both Conrad Bloom and The King of Queens. She made two films, the dark comedy Jawbreaker and Dirt Merchant, before landing a lead role in the TV series Payne, an American remake of the British sitcom Fawlty Towers. It was cancelled after eight episodes had aired.

Benz reprised her role as Darla in 2000 for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spin-off series Angel,^[9] appearing in every season for at least one episode. Julie was a guest host for the TV show Rendez-View, cast as Ellie Sparks in Glory Days and appeared in the unaired pilot; however, she left the show. Later, she guest-starred on She Spies, was in the featured cast for the miniseries Taken, did various voices for the video game Hot Shots Golf Fore!, appeared in the short film The Midget Stays in the Picture, and took over the role of Ursula for George of the Jungle 2.

Benz appeared in Peacemakers, Coupling, NCIS, and Oliver Beene. She landed the lead role of Annie Garrett in the television film The Long Shot^[9] and provided the voice of Miranda Keyes for the video game Halo 2, though she did not return to the role in the sequel Halo 3, as Bungie wanted to try a new direction with the Miranda Keyes voice by giving the character an accent.^[10] She portrayed Danielle in the direct-to-DVD film Bad Girls from Valley High in 2005. She had a small role in the critically acclaimed television film Lackawanna Blues.

In the Sci-Fi Channel original film Locusts: The 8th Plague, she played the lead female role Vicky. She also appeared in the straight-to-DVD film 8mm 2 as Lynn. The film was originally called The Velvet Side of Hell and was not supposed to be a sequel to 8MM. Benz appeared in episodes of Supernatural, CSI: Miami, Law & Order, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. She had a supporting role in the Swedish independent film Kill Your Darlings (2006), a lead role in the television film Circle of Friends (2006), and joined the cast of the TV show Dexter as Rita Bennett, Dexter Morgan's girlfriend and eventual wife.^[11] Benz played a lead role in the fifth film of the popular Saw horror franchise, Saw V, as Brit, a real estate developer who is one of Jigsaw's five victims. Benz had a supporting role in Punisher: War Zone as Angela and co-starred with Sylvester Stallone in Rambo (2008), the fourth film of the series.

She played the title role in the short film Kidnapping Caitlynn, written by her close friend Jenny Mollen, which premiered at the Vail Film Festival 2009 and was released online April 6, 2009.^[12] She starred in the television film Held Hostage as Michelle Estey.^[13] in July. She also starred in the television film Uncorked (2009)^[14] as Johnny Prentiss^[15] which premiered in the UK in July 2009. She is the lead female character Special Agent Eunice Bloom in The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day which had a limited release on October 30, 2009, and was released on DVD March 9, 2010. She has been cast in another indie film called Bedrooms as Anna.^[16] She played Frankie in the 2011 film Answers to Nothing.

(L-R): Julie Benz, David Zayas, Michael C. Hall and C.S. Lee at the Paley Center for Media Honoring Showtime Networks in December 2008

Benz appeared on The Soup with Joel McHale. Benz next took a recurring role on Desperate Housewives as Robin Gallagher, a stripper with a heart of gold and a master's degree in education who gets offered the chance to transition into a more legitimate career.^[17] The character of Robin is further developed when the audience discovers she is a lesbian and begins an affair with housewife Katherine Mayfair (Dana Delany).^[18] After the fourth season finale of Dexter, in which her character is murdered, Benz returned for the fifth-season premiere in a flashback scene.^[19]

In early 2010, ABC announced that Benz had landed a lead role as Stephanie Powell in the network's drama pilot No Ordinary Family.^[20] Production of the series commenced the following May and it premiered on September 28, 2010,^[21] as part of the 2010–11 season.^[22]

On May 13, 2011, No Ordinary Family was cancelled after one season with only 20 episodes filmed. In 2011, she was cast in the new CBS TV show A Gifted Man. Originally a co-star,^[23] she was later downgraded to a recurring role. A Gifted Man was cancelled by CBS in May 2012 after one season of 16 episodes. She was cast in the television film Ricochet as Elise Laird.^[24] Benz played the lead female role, Mayor Amanda Rosewater, in the science fiction series Defiance^[25] and also starred in the film Supremacy^[26] and the unaired TV pilot Middle Ages.

In 2015, Benz landed a recurring role in the CBS series Hawaii Five-O, playing the latest team member and Chin Ho's girlfriend, Abby Dunn. She also starred in the television film Charming Christmas.

In 2021, she guest-starred in the TV series Love, Victor.

Personal life

Benz married actor John Kassir on May 30, 1998. She filed for divorce in December 2007.^[27]

In 2011, she became engaged to Rich Orosco.^[28] They married on May 5, 2012.^[29]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1990	Two Evil Eyes	Betty	Segment: "The Black Cat"
1996	Darkdrive	Julie Falcon
1997	As Good as It Gets	Receptionist
1997	Inventing the Abbotts	Co-ed
1999	Dirt Merchant	Angie
1999	Jawbreaker	Marcie Fox
2000	Bad Girls from Valley High	Danielle
2000	Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth	Barbara	Direct-to-video film
2001	The Brothers	Jesse Caldwell
2003	George of the Jungle 2	Ursula Stanhope, Queen of the Jungle	Direct-to-video film
2004	The Long Shot	Annie Garrett
2005	8mm 2	Lynn	Direct-to-video film
2006	Kill Your Darlings	Katherine
2008	Punisher: War Zone	Angela Donatelli
2008	Rambo	Sarah Miller
2008	Saw V	Brit
2009	The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day	Eunice Bloom
2010	Bedrooms	Anna
2011	Answers to Nothing	Frankie
2011	Ricochet	Elise Laird
2014	Supremacy	Kristen
2015	Circle	Wife
2015	Life on the Line	Carline
2016	Havenhurst	Jackie
2019	Foster Boy	Pamela Dupree
2020	Nocturne	Cassie Lowe

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1991–1992	Hi Honey, I'm Home!	Babs Nielson	Main role
1994	Married... with Children	Sascha	Episode: "Field of Screams"
1995	The Barefoot Executive	Sexy woman	Television film
1995	Hang Time	Linda Cantrell	Episode: "Earl Makes the Grade"
1995	High Tide	Joanna Craig	Episode: "Sea No Evil"
1995	Step by Step	Tawny	Episode: "The Wall"
1996	Boy Meets World	Bianca	Episode: "City Slackers"
1996	Diagnosis: Murder	Julie Miller	Episode: "Murder on Thin Ice"
1996	Hearts Adrift	Christy	Television film
1996	The Single Guy	Cranberries girl	Episode: "Love Train"
1996	Sliders	Jenny Michener	Episode: "The Electric Twister Acid Test"
1997	The Big Easy	Roxanne	Episode: "BeGirled"
1997	Fame L.A.	Vanessa	Episode: "The Beat Goes On"
1997–2000	Buffy the Vampire Slayer	Darla	Recurring role
1998	Ask Harriet	Joplin Russell	Recurring role
1998	Conrad Bloom	Julie	Episode: "The Rebound Guy"
1999	The King of Queens	Julie Patterson	Episode: "Train Wreck"
1999	Payne	Breeze O'Rourke	Main role
1999–2000	Roswell	Kathleen Topolsky	Recurring role (season 1)
2000	Satan's School for Girls	Alison Kingsley	Television film
2000–2004	Angel	Darla	Recurring role (seasons 1–3); guest role (seasons 4–5)
2002	Coupling	Amanda	Episode: "Decatur Guy"
2002	Peacemakers	Miranda Blanchard	Episode: "The Witness"
2002	She Spies	Elaine	Episode: "Spies vs. Spy"
2002	Taken	Kate Keyes	Miniseries
2004	The Long Shot: Believe in Courage	Annie Garrett	Television film
2004	NCIS	Denise Johnson	Episode: "A Weak Link"
2004	Oliver Beene	Cigarette girl	Episode: "Idol Chatter"
2005	Lackawanna Blues	Laura	Television film
2005	Locusts: The 8th Plague	Vicky	Television film
2006	Circle of Friends	Maggie	Television film
2006	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation	Heidi Wolff	Episode: "Time of Your Death"
2006	CSI: Miami	Hayley Gordon	Episode: "Deviant"
2006	Supernatural	Layla Rourke	Episode: "Faith"
2006–2010	Dexter	Rita Bennett	Main role (season 1–4); guest role (season 5) Won – Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
2007	Law & Order	Dawn Sterling	Episode: "Church"
2009	Held Hostage	Michelle Estey	Television film
2009	Uncorked	Johnny Prentiss	Television film
2010	Desperate Housewives	Robin Gallagher	Recurring role (season 6)
2010–2011	No Ordinary Family	Stephanie Powell	Main role
2011	Royal Pains	Elyse	Episode: "An Apple a Day"
2011–2012	A Gifted Man	Christina Holt	Recurring role (season 1)
2013	Sole Custody	Zoe	Television film
2013	Taken: The Search for Sophie Parker	Stevie Parker	Television film
2013–2015	Defiance	Amanda Rosewater	Main role
2015	Charming Christmas	Meredith Rossman	Television film
2015–2017	Hawaii Five-0	Abby Dunn	Recurring role (season 6–7)
2017	Christmas Homecoming	Amanda	Television film
2017	Training Day	Holly Butler	Main role
2019	Dark/Web	Rideshare	Episode: "Rideshare"
2019	Light as a Feather	Skye Karras	Episode: "...Guilty as Sin"
2019	On Becoming a God in Central Florida	Carole Wilkes	Recurring role
2019	V. C. Andrews' Heaven	Kitty Dennison	Television film
2021	Love, Victor	Shelby	Guest role
2021	Secrets of a Gold Digger Killer	Celeste Beard	Television film
2022	9-1-1: Lone Star	Sadie	Guest role

Video games

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2004	Hot Shots Golf Fore!	Phoebe and Amy
2004	Halo 2	Miranda Keyes

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominated work	Result
2006	11th Satellite Awards	Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress - Series, Miniseries or Television Film	Dexter	Won
2008	Eyegore Awards	Eyegore Award		Won
2008	2008 Scream Awards	Best Horror Actress	Dexter	Nominated
2009	16th Screen Actors Guild Awards	Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series		Nominated
2010	17th Screen Actors Guild Awards			Nominated
	36th Saturn Awards	Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television		Won
	Monte Carlo Television Festival	Outstanding Actress - Drama Series		Nominated
	2010 Scream Awards	Best Horror Actress		Nominated

References

^ "Today in History: May 1". April 24, 2017.
^ ^a ^b "Hi Honey, Julie Benz is Back Home!". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. August 3, 1991. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
^ "Julie Benz: Biography". TV Guide. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
^ Owen, Rob (September 27, 2010). "Murrysville native Benz enjoys lighter, comedic role in 'Family'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved January 26, 2015.
^ ^a ^b ^c Owen, Rob (February 20, 1999). "Gaining recognition". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved February 26, 2014.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ Debnam, Betty (April 2, 2004). "Meet Julie Benz". The Bryan Times. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
^ ^a ^b Rizzo, Carita (January 3, 2011). "Before They Were Stars". TV Guide: 24.
^ Fritz, Steve (May 29, 2008). "Julie Benz One Tough Lady; Three Tough Jobs". Newsarama. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
^ ^a ^b Pace, Terry (April 16, 2004). "Benz gets to play new kind of character". TimesDaily. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
^ Mitovitch, Matt Webb (December 15, 2006), "Dexter's No. 1 Gal — Julie Benz — Previews a Killer Finale", TV Guide, archived from the original on December 17, 2006
^ "SCREAM '09: Julie Benz, Jennifer Carpenter on 'Dexter', More!". Bloody-disgusting.com. October 18, 2009. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
^ [1] Archived April 11, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
^ "Michelle Renee: Breaking The Chains of Domestic Violence". Huffington Post. October 7, 2008. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
^ "Julie Benz | Your source for Julie @". Julie-benz.info. March 26, 2009. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
^ Bierly, Mandi (March 26, 2009). "Hallmark Channel to produce 35 original movies with stars like Andrew McCarthy, Lori Loughlin, and Julie Benz. Pinch. Me". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
^ "Benz Happy for 'Dexter' Castmates Marriage — Netscape Celebrity". Channels.isp.netscape.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
^ DiNunno, Gina (January 3, 2010). "Dexter's Julie Benz to Pay a Visit to Wisteria Lane". TV Guide. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
^ Heller, Dana (June 15, 2013). Loving The L Word: The Complete Series in Focus. I.B.Tauris. p. 6. ISBN 978-1-78076-424-5. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
^ Abrams, Natalie (May 25, 2010). "Julie Benz Returning to Dexter". TV Guide. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
^ Eng, Joyce (March 2, 2010). "Julie Benz Joins ABC's New Super Family". TV Guide. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
^ Ram, Archana (September 28, 2010). "No Ordinary Family Premieres Tonight. Will You Be Watching?". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 4, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
^ Rice, Lynette (May 12, 2010). "Breaking: ABC picks up 'No Ordinary Family' starring Michael Chikilis". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 13, 2010. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 16, 2011). "CBS Picks Up Susannah Grant Medical Drama To Series, Neal Baer To Run It". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
^ Andreeva, Nellie (July 28, 2011). "John Corbett And Julie Benz To Star In TNT Film; Benz Changes Status On 'Gifted Man' –". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
^ "Julie Benz To Star in New Syfy Series Defiance". SFX. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
^ E Entertainment. "Supremacy becomes more Supreme". PRLog. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
^ "Angel – Interviews – Julie Benz and John Kassir". BBC Online.
^ Arrow, Jennifer (June 27, 2011). "Julie Benz Is Getting Married! (Congrats, Lady!)". E! Online. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
^ Corneau, Allison (May 5, 2012). "Dexter's Julie Benz Gets Married!". Us Weekly. Retrieved October 9, 2012.

External links

[1] "Today in History: May 1". April 24, 2017.

[HiHoney-2] "Hi Honey, Julie Benz is Back Home!". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. August 3, 1991. Retrieved February 26, 2014.

[3] "Julie Benz: Biography". TV Guide. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved February 26, 2014.

[4] Owen, Rob (September 27, 2010). "Murrysville native Benz enjoys lighter, comedic role in 'Family'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved January 26, 2015.

[Gazette-5] Owen, Rob (February 20, 1999). "Gaining recognition". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved February 26, 2014.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[6] Debnam, Betty (April 2, 2004). "Meet Julie Benz". The Bryan Times. Retrieved February 26, 2014.

[BeforeStars-7] Rizzo, Carita (January 3, 2011). "Before They Were Stars". TV Guide: 24.

[8] Fritz, Steve (May 29, 2008). "Julie Benz One Tough Lady; Three Tough Jobs". Newsarama. Retrieved February 26, 2014.

[pace-9] Pace, Terry (April 16, 2004). "Benz gets to play new kind of character". TimesDaily. Retrieved February 26, 2014.

[10] Mitovitch, Matt Webb (December 15, 2006), "Dexter's No. 1 Gal — Julie Benz — Previews a Killer Finale", TV Guide, archived from the original on December 17, 2006

[11] "SCREAM '09: Julie Benz, Jennifer Carpenter on 'Dexter', More!". Bloody-disgusting.com. October 18, 2009. Retrieved October 20, 2010.

[12] [1] Archived April 11, 2009, at the Wayback Machine

[13] "Michelle Renee: Breaking The Chains of Domestic Violence". Huffington Post. October 7, 2008. Retrieved October 20, 2010.

[14] "Julie Benz | Your source for Julie @". Julie-benz.info. March 26, 2009. Retrieved October 20, 2010.

[15] Bierly, Mandi (March 26, 2009). "Hallmark Channel to produce 35 original movies with stars like Andrew McCarthy, Lori Loughlin, and Julie Benz. Pinch. Me". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 14, 2010.

[16] "Benz Happy for 'Dexter' Castmates Marriage — Netscape Celebrity". Channels.isp.netscape.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2010.

[17] DiNunno, Gina (January 3, 2010). "Dexter's Julie Benz to Pay a Visit to Wisteria Lane". TV Guide. Retrieved February 26, 2014.

[18] Heller, Dana (June 15, 2013). Loving The L Word: The Complete Series in Focus. I.B.Tauris. p. 6. ISBN 978-1-78076-424-5. Retrieved February 26, 2014.

[19] Abrams, Natalie (May 25, 2010). "Julie Benz Returning to Dexter". TV Guide. Retrieved February 26, 2014.

[20] Eng, Joyce (March 2, 2010). "Julie Benz Joins ABC's New Super Family". TV Guide. Retrieved May 31, 2011.

[21] Ram, Archana (September 28, 2010). "No Ordinary Family Premieres Tonight. Will You Be Watching?". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 4, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2010.

[pickup-22] Rice, Lynette (May 12, 2010). "Breaking: ABC picks up 'No Ordinary Family' starring Michael Chikilis". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 13, 2010. Retrieved May 12, 2010.

[23] Andreeva, Nellie (May 16, 2011). "CBS Picks Up Susannah Grant Medical Drama To Series, Neal Baer To Run It". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 31, 2011.

[24] Andreeva, Nellie (July 28, 2011). "John Corbett And Julie Benz To Star In TNT Film; Benz Changes Status On 'Gifted Man' –". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 4, 2011.

[25] "Julie Benz To Star in New Syfy Series Defiance". SFX. Retrieved October 9, 2012.

[26] E Entertainment. "Supremacy becomes more Supreme". PRLog. Retrieved October 9, 2012.

[27] "Angel – Interviews – Julie Benz and John Kassir". BBC Online.

[28] Arrow, Jennifer (June 27, 2011). "Julie Benz Is Getting Married! (Congrats, Lady!)". E! Online. Retrieved November 4, 2011.

[29] Corneau, Allison (May 5, 2012). "Dexter's Julie Benz Gets Married!". Us Weekly. Retrieved October 9, 2012.

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Julie Benz

Early life and education

Career

Personal life

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Awards and nominations

References

External links

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