Julie Benz, an American actress, is well-known around the world for her exceptional performances as Rita on “Dexter” and as Darla in the TV series “Angel” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Prior to switching to acting, Benz had a career as a figure skater. She started out in local theater before transitioning to the cinema, where she had modest roles. She later entered the TV industry with the program “Hi Honey, I’m Home.” Before landing a role in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” she continued to perform in other TV shows. Benz had a lead role tryout for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” in 1996 but chose a minor role instead. She was given a role in a few more episodes once producers noticed her talent as an actor. Her excellent career, which helped her get attention, began with this. She has also appeared as a guest star on a number of well-known shows, including “Supernatural,” “CSI: Miami,” and “Law & Order.” She landed Rita Bennett’s part in the acclaimed series “Dexter” in 2006. For her outstanding acting, Benz has garnered appreciation from critics and countless accolades.

Early Childhood & Life

Julie Benz was raised in Murrysville after being born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on May 1, 1972. Her mother Joanne Marie (née Seemiller) used to be a figure skater, and her father George Benz Jr. is a surgeon in Pittsburgh.

After moving to Murrysville when Benz was two years old, her family. She began learning to skate at the age of three. She and her skating partner David Schilling came in at 13th place in the junior ice dance U.S. Championships in 1988.

She experienced a stress fracture in her right leg when she was 14 years old, which required her to stop skating. Julie Benz’s career in figure skating had ended by 1989, therefore she began acting in regional plays. She received a role in the play “Street Law.” Her first film appearance was a minor one in the Dario Argento and George A. Romero horror film “Two Evil Eyes”The “‘s Black Cat” segment (1990).
After graduating from Franklin Regional High School in 1990, Benz attended New York University to study acting.

Career of Julie Benz

Julie Benz appeared in the 1991 television program “Hi Honey, I’m Home!” however the program was canceled after only two seasons.

She went to Los Angeles after earning her degree from New York University in 1993. She landed a small role in an episode of the TV show “Married… with Children” two weeks following her relocation.
She appeared in numerous other TV shows as well, including “Hang Time,” “High Tide,” “Step by Step,” and “Boy Meets World.” She also played a minor part in the TV movie “The Barefoot Executive.”

She had the chance to try out for the role of Buffy Summers in the 1996 television series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Unfortunately, Sarah Michelle Gellar was given the job, and Benz was instead given a small part as the vampire Darla. Her part was originally just intended for the pilot episode, but after witnessing how well she performed, it was expanded to a few more.

This increased her career visibility and helped her secure numerous TV and film roles. Later, she appeared in television programs like “The Big Easy,” “Fame L.A.”, “Ask Harriet,” and “Payne.” She has worked on other TV movies, including “A Walton Easter,” “Jawbreaker,” “Dirt Merchant,” and “Satan’s School for Girls.”

Benz played Darla once more in the Buffy spin-off series “Angel” in 2000. She participated in each season of the program. Additionally, she was the sole actor of white descent in the romantic comedy “The Brothers” (2001).

Later, Benz appeared in the TV shows “Peacemakers,” “Coupling,” “NCIS,” and “Oliver Beene.” In addition to providing the voice of Miranda Keyes in the computer game “Halo 2,” she received the lead part in the Hallmark TV movie “The Long Shot.” She also appeared in the highly regarded television film “Lackawant to Blues.”

She was cast as Vicky, the lead female, in the Sci-Fi Channel original movie “Locusts: The 8th Plague.” She also appeared in a number of well-known TV shows, including “Supernatural,” “CSI: Miami,” “Law & Order,” and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”

She starred as Brit in the fifth installment of the well-known “Saw” horror franchise, “Saw 5,” and she also played the lead character in the film “Circle of Friends.” Benz was one of the main performers in the hit TV series “Dexter.” In 2008, she played a supporting part in the films “Rambo” and “Punisher: War Zone.”

Benz plays the starring part in the short film “Kidnapping Caitlynn.” It had its world premiere at the Vail Film Festival in 2009 and was a film written by a close friend. As Robin Gallagher, she played a recurring part in the television series “Desperate Housewives.”

She was cast in the lead role of “No Ordinary Family” in 2010. After only one season, starting on September 28, 2010, the show was canceled on May 13, 2011. She was given a role in “A Gifted Man” that same year, but even that program was canceled in May 2012.

She landed a recurring part in the CBS drama “Hawaii Five-O” in 2015, and she also starred in the television film “Charming Christmas.”

Bigger Works of Julie Benz

TV shows, TV movies, and feature films all featured Julie Benz. She is most known for portraying strong women who have experienced significant losses in life. Despite not receiving the lead role in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” her performance as Darla was favorably received and helped her get attention. She was originally only going to appear in the pilot episode, but her strong performance got her a couple more.

In the suspense drama “Dexter,” Benz also had a memorable role. Her portrayal of Rita Bennett, a troubled divorcee, was really admirable. She received numerous nominations for prizes and took home a couple for her outstanding performance.

Recognition & Achievements

For her work on “Dexter,” Julie Benz won the Satellite Award in 2006 for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series.

She won the Saturn Award for Best Television Supporting Actress in 2010 for “Dexter.”

Individual Life of Julie Benz

On May 30, 1998, Julie Benz wed actor John Kassir. However, they did so in December 2007.
She began dating Rich Orosco, a former vice president of marketing for Warner Bros. Television, after being divorced. The union took place on May 5, 2012.

Julie Benz’s Net Worth

American actress Julie Benz has a $4 million dollar net worth. The television programs “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel,” and “Dexter” have made Julie Benz a household name. She has also appeared in a variety of other shows, such as the remakes of “Hawaii Five-0,” “A Gifted Man,” “Defiance,” and “Roswell.” Benz has been in movies including “Jawbreaker,” “Punisher: War Zone,” and “Nocturne” on the big screen.

Trivia

Julie Benz had to color her naturally blonde hair brown for the 2008 movie “Punisher: War Zone.”
She frequently gets confused for Julie Bowen, another TV actress, and occasionally signs Julie Bowen’s name when requested for a signature.

She is related to sports radio and television star Tim Benz.