Julie Benz

Biography of Julie Benz

Julie M. Benz was born on May 1, 1972 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is an American actress.

Julie Benz was born the daughter of a surgeon in Pittsburgh. The family moved to Murrysville in neighboring Westmoreland County two years after she was born, where Benz began ice skating when she was three years old. In 1988 she took part in the US Junior Championships in figure skating and finished 13th there, the following year she ended her skating career. Her older siblings were junior American champions in ice dancing in 1987 and competed internationally. After graduating from high school in Murrysville, she studied acting at New York University.

Julie Benz is best known for her roles as the vampire Darla in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. She made her film debut in 1990 in Two Evil Eyes. In 1991, she starred in the television series Hi Honey, I'm Home. She was also seen in As Good As It Getsand in 2000 with Shannen Doherty in the television thriller Satan's School for Girls.

She is also the original voice of Miranda Keyes from the Xbox game Halo 2.

Her most successful films include The Sugar Sweet Death with Rose McGowan and George of the jungle 2.

From 2006 to 2010, Benz played the girlfriend and later wife Rita Bennett of the protagonist of the same name in the television series Dexter. In 2008, she starred opposite Sylvester Stallone in the film John Rambo and also starred opposite Ray Stevenson as Angela in the comic book adaptation The Punisher: War Zone.

Benz was married to US actor and comedianJohn Kassirfrom 1998 to 2007. In early May 2012, she married Rich Orosco. Benz lives in Los Angeles.