Julie Benz Biography
Summary
"Julie Benz" (born May 1, 1972 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American actress. Benz grew up in Murrysville, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Franklin Regional High School. She later graduated from New York University. Initially, Benz followed her mother and older siblings, Jeffrey and Jennifer, into the figure skating field, and competed in the 1988 US Junior Ice Skating Championship. Benz gave up her pursuit of ice skating after an accident.
Benz achieved her first acting role in a local play in 1989. She
is perhaps best known for portraying the vampire Darla in the TV series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", where she was the first character seen on screen and spoke the first line, and later in the spin-off series, "Angel". She has acted in such films as "Jawbreaker" and "As Good as It Gets".
Benz also provided the voice of Miranda Keyes in the video game "Halo 2", though she did not return to the role in the upcoming sequel "Halo 3" as Bungie wanted to try a new direction with the Miranda Keyes voice by giving the character an accent, replaced by Justis Bolding.
She is married to actor John Kassir.
For her role as Rita Bennett on "Dexter", Benz won the 2006 Satellite Award for Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television.
Awards
"2006 Satellite Awards: Won"
Supporting Actress in a Series (Dexter)
Trivia
Benz had to overcome her fear of singing in public for the "Angel" episode "The Trial"
Filmography
"Dallas" (2009) as Sue Ellen Ewing (rumored)
"The Punisher: War Zone" (2008) as Angela Donatelli
" Rambo" (2008) as Sarah Miller
"Law & Order" (TV series) (episode Church) (2007) as Dawn Sterling
"Dexter" (TV series) (2006) as Rita Bennett
"Circle of Friends" (2006) as Maggie
"CSI" (TV series) (episode Time of Your Death) (2006) as Heidi Wolff
"Kill Your Darlings" (2006) as Katherine
"CSI: Miami" (TV series) (episode Deviant) (2006) as Hayley Gordon
"Supernatural" (TV series) (episode Faith) (2006) as Layla Rourke
"Locusts: The 8th Plague" (2005) as Vicky
"8mm 2" (2005) as Lynn
"Lackawanna Blues" (2005) as Laura
"Halo 2" (VG) (2004) as Miranda Keyes
"Oliver Beene" (TV series) (episode Idol Chatter) (2004) as Cigarette Girl
"Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service" (TV series) (episode A Weak Link) (2004) as Denise Johnson
"Angel" (TV series) (1999) as Darla (recurring; 2000-2004)
"The Long Shot: Believe in Courage" (2004) as Annie Garrett
"Coupling" (TV series) (episode Decatur Guy) (2003) as Amanda
"Peacemakers" (TV series) (episode The Witness) (2003) as Miranda Blanchard
"The Midget Stays in the Picture" (2003) as A-List Actress
"George of the Jungle 2" (2003) as Ursula
"Hot Shots Golf Fore! (VG) (2003) as Various Voices (voice)
"She Spies" (TV series) (episode Spies vs. Spy) (2002) as Elaine
"Taken" (2002) (TV series) as Kate Keyes
"Glory Days" (TV series) (episode Unaired Pilot) (2002) as Ellie Sparks
"The Brothers" (2001) as Jesse Caldwell
"Sailor Moon (2000 TV series)as Celecele
"Bad Girls From Valley High" (aka A Fate Totally Worse Than Death) (2000) as Danielle
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (TV series) (1997) as Darla (recurring; 1997-2000)
"Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth" (2000) as Barbara
"Roswell" (TV series) (1999) as Kathleen Topolsky (recurring; 1999-2000)
"Satan's School for Girls" (2000) as Alison Kingsley
"The King Of Queens" (TV series) (episode Train Wreck) (1999) as Julie
"Payne" (TV series) (1999) as Breezy O'Rourke
"Jawbreaker" (1999) as Marcie Fox
"Dirt Merchant" (1999) as Angie
"Conrad Bloom" (TV series) (episode The Rebound Guy) (1998) as Julie
"Ask Harriet" (TV series) (1998) as Joplin Russell (recurring; 1998)
"As Good as It Gets" (1997) as Receptionist
"Fame L.A." (TV series) (episode The Beat Goes On) (1997) as Vanessa
"The Big Easy" (TV series) (episode BeGirled) (1997) as ?
"Inventing the Abbotts" (1997) as Co-ed
"A Walton Easter" (1997) as Mae
"Eating Las Vegas" (1997) as ?
"Darkdrive" (1996) as Julie Falcon
"The Single Guy" (TV series) (episode Love Train) (1996) as Cranberries Girl
"Sliders" (TV series) (episode The Electric Twister Acid Test)(1996) as Jenny Michener
"Diagnosis Murder" (TV series) (episode Murder on Thin Ice) (1996) as Julie Miller
"Hearts Adrift" (1996) (TV) as Kristy
"Black Sheep" (1996) as Woman (uncredited)
"Boy Meets World" (TV series) (episode City Slackers) (1996) as Bianca
"Step by Step" (TV series) (episode The Wall) (1995) as Tawny
"High Tide" (TV series) (episode Sea No Evil) (1995) as Joanna Craig
"The Barefoot Executive" (1995) (TV) as Sexy Woman
"Hang Time" (TV series) (episode Earl Makes the Grade) (1995) as Linda Cantrell
"Empire" (1995) as Christine Lambert
"Cross Town Traffic" (1995) (TV) as ?
"Married... with Children" (TV series) (episode 'Field of Screams') (1994) as Sascha
"Hi Honey, I'm Home" (TV series) (1991) as Babs Nielson
"Two Evil Eyes" (1990) (segment: The Black Cat) as Betty
Own Appearances
"The Making of 'Kill Your Darlings' " (2006) as Herself
"Halos & Horns: Recurring Villainy" (2005) as Herself
"The Sharon Osbourne Show" (TV series) (episode dated 13 April 2004) (2004) as Herself
"Darla: Deliver Us from Evil " (2004) as Herself
"Angel': Season 3 Overview" (2004) as Herself
"TRL" (TV series) (episode dated 17 October 2003) (2003) as Herself
"Angel': Season 2 Overview" (2003) as Herself
"The Saturday Show" (TV series) (episode dated 10 May 2003) (2003) as Herself
"Rank" (TV series) (episode 25 Toughest Stars) (2002) as Herself
"Inside Taken" (2002) as Herself
"The Big Breakfast" (TV series) (episode dated 12 November 2001) (2001) as Herself
"Rendez-View" (TV series) (episode The Naked Truth) (2001) as Herself - Guest Host
"Jawbreaker Movie Special" (2001) as Herself
"Happy Hour" (TV series) (episode dated 17 April 1999) (1999) as Herself
External links
(TV.com) - Julie Benz's TV.com Page
(The Actor's Compendium) - Julie Benz's Actor Compendium Page
(Myspace)
Credit
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article about Julie Benz.
