- Born
- Height5′ 4½″ (1.64 m)
- Julie Benz was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA on May 1, 1972. Julie's father is a Pittsburgh surgeon and her mother is a figure skater. The family settled in nearby Murrysville, when Julie was two, and she started ice skating at age three. She competed in the 1988 U.S. Championships in junior ice dancing with her partner David Schilling, coming in 13th. Her older brother and sister, Jeffrey and Jennifer, were 1987 U.S. Junior Champions in ice dancing and competed internationally. When Julie was 14, she had a bad stress fracture and had to take time off.
By 1989, with her figure skating career over, Julie turned to acting and got involved in the local theater where she got a role in the play "Street Law". Her first movie role was a small credited speaking part in the Black Cat segment of the Dario Argento/George A. Romero co-direction horror flick, Two Evil Eyes (1990), playing in one scene alongside Harvey Keitel. A year later, she got a role on a TV show called Hi Honey, I'm Home (1991).
After graduating from high school, Julie entered New York University to study acting there. After graduation, Julie moved to Los Angeles to further pursue her career and landed some small roles in movies and TV shows including a guest appearance on Married... with Children (1987) and in the Aaron Spelling TV pilot Crosstown Traffic (1995).
In 1996, Julie auditioned for the role of "Buffy" in the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997), but lost out to Sarah Michelle Gellar. However, she was offered a small role as a vampire girl in which she did such a good job that her part was expanded to a few more episodes in playing the vampire "Darla". With that, Julie Benz's career had finally taken off. She reprised her role as "Darla" in the Buffy spin-off series Angel (1999) for two years and has had several small roles in various film productions. She also had a small, but memorable, role playing a receptionist in the movie As Good as It Gets (1997).
Even after her role on Angel (1999) wrapped up, Julie continued to find work on television in playing many guest staring roles in numerous popular TV shows from CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000), to Supernatural (2005), to playing the lead and supporting roles in various made-for-TV movies. She landed another notable role on the TV-cable series Dexter (2006) playing "Rita", a troubled divorcée and lover of the title character played by Michael C. Hall. Benz played a leading role in the TV series No Ordinary Family (2010) playing Stephanie Powell along with actors Michael Chiklis, Kay Panabaker, Jimmy Bennett, Autumn Reeser, Romany Malco, and Stephen Collins.
In 2013, she had the starring role in the sci-fi / fantasy breakout hit show Defiance (2013).- IMDb Mini Biography By: matt-282 and Robert Harris
- SpousesRich Orosco(May 5, 2012 - present)John Kassir(May 30, 1998 - May 2008) (divorced)
- ParentsGeorge BenzJoanne Benz
- RelativesJeffrey Benz(Sibling)Jennifer Benz(Sibling)
- Often plays women who have suffered traumas or losses
- Competed in the 1988 US Championships in junior ice dancing with David Schilling, placing 13th. Her older sister and brother, Jennifer Benz and Jeffrey Benz, were the 1987 US Junior Champions in ice dancing and competed internationally.
- Once ranked #12 ice skater in the US. She has lost two roles to Sarah Michelle Gellar: Kendall Hart on All My Children (1970), and Buffy on TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997).
- Often mistaken for Julie Bowen and, when asked for her autograph, would sign Bowen's name.
- Auditioned for a role in Eyes Wide Shut (1999). She was called back to re-audition for the role, but when she learned that she'd have to do the scene topless, she decided against it.
- Has been in a relationship with producer Rich Orosco since 2008. They got engaged in June 2011 and married on 5/5/12 in the Los Feliz neighborhood in Los Angeles, CA. Because their wedding was on Cinco De Mayo, they chose to have a Mexican-themed wedding, to honor the holiday as well as Orosco's heritage.
- [on her character "Darla" on Angel (1999)] I didn't expect them to write such a beautiful ending. I really think it was one of the most beautiful gifts I've ever received as an actor. The last three episodes of her life are so wonderful. They were such a gift to play. It was really amazing. They sent me the script and I was on lunch. I was in my trailer crying. Everybody was asking me if I was okay, and what was wrong, and I had to say it was nothing, and that I was fine. You don't want to tell anyone anything - and, of course, we're not allowed to tell anybody anything. I think she truly is one of the most amazing characters on television.
- [About Darla's departure from Angel (1999)] She was such a wonderful character to begin with. To have such a beautiful ending. For me, it felt like they gave me a gift, a really special gift. After playing her for so long, it was such a beautiful way for her to go. The last 20 minutes redeemed her in the eyes of the fans as well. She was able to finally do something good after 400 years of evil and terror.
- [Her favorite scenes from Dexter (2006)] I loved the episodes where Rita dressed up as Lara Croft... and gave Dexter things. It was such a fun scene to play and it's the first time you really saw a little bit of her strength and her playfulness, and it was so nice to do after playing so much of this vulnerable, beaten-down woman, to have this fun moment with Dexter. I also love the scene towards the end where she confronts Paul [Rita's ex-husband] in prison and basically lays it on the line from a place of great strength, where she finally just tells him how it's going to be and how he needs to explain to the kids why he's in prison.
- [About the pilot for Dexter (2006)] When we did the pilot, I was very nervous. I was beginning to work with my favorite actor and I had to do a lot of relaxation to be on set with Michael. I was such a huge fan of his and just couldn't believe I was cast to play opposite him. I was really waiting for someone to come up to me and say it's all a joke.
- I actually find the fans are always supportive and respectful. A couple times I've been approached when I'm buying underwear. That's more embarrassing for me rather than for them because it's like, "Oh hello. I'm just buying some panties."
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