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{{Actor
+
{{Staff
|Image = 3JBBJ.jpg
+
|Image = Julie Benz.jpg
|First = "[[Welcome to the Hellmouth]]"
+
|Caption = Julie Benz in 2019.
|Last = "[[The Girl in Question]]"
+
|Name = Julie M. Benz
|Name = Julie M. Benz
+
|Date of Birth = May 1, 1972
 
|Place of Birth = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
|Gender = Female
 
|Date of Birth = May 1, 1972
+
|Job(s) = Actor
  +
|Characters = [[Darla]]
|Place of Birth = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
 
|Characters = [[Darla]]
+
|First = "[[Welcome to the Hellmouth]]"
  +
|Last = "[[The Girl in Question]]"
 
}}
 
}}
   
'''Julie M. Benz '''(born May 1, 1972) is an American actress best known for her role as [[Darla]] in [[Buffy The Vampire Slayer]] and [[Angel]]. She is also known for her portrayal of Rita Bennett on ''Dexter. ''
+
'''Julie Benz''' is an actress who portrayed [[Darla]] on both television series ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' and ''[[Angel (series)|Angel]]''.
   
== Early Life ==
+
==Career==
 
By 1989, Benz's figure skating career had ended and she got involved with the local theater. Her first small movie role was in ''The Black Cat'' segment of Dario Argento/George A. Romero horror film ''Two Evil Eyes''. A year later, she was cast in TV show ''Honey, I'm Home'' which was cancelled after two seasons. 
Benz was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her father is a surgeon and her mother was a figure ice skater. Benz began ice skating when she was three, competing in the 1988 US Junior Championships with partner David Schilling, finishing in 13th place. When she was 14, she suffered a stress fracture in her leg causing her to take time off. Benz graduated from Franklin Regional High School.
 
   
 
After graduating from high school, Benz enrolled in New York University to study acting. After graduating from there , she moved to Los Angeles where she was offered a bit part in a 1994 episode of ''Married... With Children''. Her other TV roles included ''Boy Meets World'', ''Diagnosis Murder'', and ''The Single Guy''.
== Career ==
 
At the age of 15, Benz was told by an acting coach that she would never make it as an actress. By 1989, her figure skating career had ended and she got involved with the local theater.
 
   
 
In 1996, Benz auditioned for the lead role for upcoming TV series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', but lost out to [[Sarah Michelle Gellar]]. However she was offered the small role of Darla, a vampire who had the first line in the show's run. She appeared in more TV roles including ''The Big Easy'' and ''Fame L.A.'' She made two movies, dark comedy ''Jawbreaker'' and ''Dirt Merchant''. The first season of ''Roswell'' saw Benz play undercover FBI agent Kathleen Topolsky. 
Her first small movie role was in "The Black Cat" segment of Dario Argento/George A. Romero horror film ''Two Evil Eyes''A year later, she was cast in TV show ''Honey, I'm Home ''which was cancelled after two seasons. 
 
   
  +
Benz reprised her role of Darla for TV series ''Angel'' in 2000, appearing in at least one episode every season. She appeared as Ursula in the film ''George of the Jungle 2''. Benz appeared in the series ''Peacemakers'', ''Coupling'', ''NCIS'', and ''Oliver Beene''. She landed the lead role of Annie Garrett in the Hallmark TV movie ''The Long Shot''. Benz also provided the voice of Miranda Keyes for the video game ''Halo 2''. She played the lead role of Danielle in ''Bad Girls From Valley High'' (a film shot in 2000 under the title ''A Fate Totally Worse Than Death'') which was released on DVD in 2005. She had a small role in the critically acclaimed TV movie ''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 movie ''8mm 2'' as Lynn.
After graduating from high school, Benz enrolled in New York University to study acting. After graduating from there , she moved to Los Angeles where she was offered a bit part in a 1994 episode of ''Married...With Children''Her other TV roles included ''Boy Meets World, Diagnosis Murder ''and ''The Single Guy''
 
   
  +
Benz appeared in episodes of ''Supernatural'', ''CSI: Miami'', ''Law & Order'', and ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation''. She had a supporting role in a Swedish independent movie called ''Kill Your Darlings'', a lead role in the Lifetime movie ''Circle of Friends'' and joined the cast of TV show ''Dexter'' as Rita Bennett. Benz played a lead role in the fifth film of the popular horror franchise, ''Saw V'', as Brit, a real-estate developer who is one of Jigsaw's five victims. She had a supporting role in ''Punisher: War Zone'' as Angela. Benz starred with in 2008's ''Rambo'', the fourth film of that series.
In 1996, Benz auditioned for the lead role for upcoming TV series, ''Buffy The Vampire Slayer ''but lost out to [[Sarah Michelle Gellar]]. However she was offered the small role of [[Darla]], a vampire who had the first line in the show's run. She appeared in more TV roles including ''The Big Easy ''and ''Fame L.A. ''She made two movies, dark comedy ''Jawbreaker ''and ''Dirt Merchant''The first season of ''Roswell ''saw Benz play undercover FBI agent Kathleen Topolsky. 
 
   
 
She plays the title role in the short film ''Kidnapping Caitlynn'', which premiered at the Vail Film Festival 2009. That same year, she starred in the Lifetime movie ''Held Hostage'' as Michelle Estey. She also starred in the Hallmark Channel movie ''Uncorked'' as Johnny Prentiss. She is the lead female character Special Agent Eunice Bloom in ''The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day''. She has been cast in another independent film called ''Bedrooms'' as Anna. She plays Frankie in the movie ''Answers to Nothing''.
Benz reprised her role of Darla for TV series, [[Angel]] in 2000, appearing in at least one episode every season and appeared as Ursula in ''[[Wikipedia:George of the Jungle 2|George of the Jungle 2]]''. Benz appeared in ''[[Wikipedia:Peacemakers (TV series)|Peacemakers]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Coupling (US TV series)|Coupling]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:NCIS (TV series)|NCIS]]'' and ''[[Wikipedia:Oliver Beene|Oliver Beene]]''. She landed the lead role of Annie Garrett in the Hallmark TV movie ''[[Wikipedia:The Long Shot|The Long Shot]]''. Benz also provided the voice of [[Wikipedia:Halo characters#Commander Miranda Keyes|Miranda Keyes]] for the video game ''[[Wikipedia:Halo 2|Halo 2]]'', though she did not return to the role in the sequel ''[[Wikipedia:Halo 3|Halo 3]]'' as Bungie wanted to try a new direction with the Miranda Keyes voice by giving the character an accent, replaced by [[Wikipedia:Justis Bolding|Justis Bolding]]. She played the lead role of Danielle in ''[[Wikipedia:Bad Girls From Valley High|Bad Girls From Valley High]]'' (a film shot in 2000 under the title ''A Fate Totally Worse Than Death'') which was released on DVD in 2005. She had a small role in the critically acclaimed TV movie ''[[Wikipedia:Lackawanna Blues|Lackawanna Blues]]''. In the Sci-Fi Channel original film ''[[Wikipedia:Locusts: The 8th Plague|Locusts: The 8th Plague]]'', she played the lead female role Vicky. She also appeared in the straight-to-DVD movie ''[[Wikipedia:8mm 2|8mm 2]]'' as Lynn. The film was originally called ''The Velvet Side of Hell'' and was not supposed to be a sequel to ''[[Wikipedia:8MM (film)|8MM]]''. Benz appeared in episodes of ''[[Wikipedia:Supernatural (U.S. TV series)|Supernatural]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:CSI: Miami|CSI: Miami]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Law & Order|Law & Order]]'' and ''[[Wikipedia:CSI: Crime Scene Investigation|CSI: Crime Scene Investigation]]''. She had a supporting role in a Swedish independent movie called ''[[Wikipedia:Kill Your Darlings (2006 film)|Kill Your Darlings]]'', a lead role in the Lifetime movie ''[[Wikipedia:Circle of Friends (2006 film)|Circle of Friends]]'' and joined the cast of TV show ''[[Wikipedia:Dexter (TV series)|Dexter]]'' as [[Wikipedia:List of Dexter characters#Rita Bennett|Rita Bennett]]. Benz played a lead role in the fifth film of the popular horror franchise, ''[[Wikipedia:Saw V|Saw V]]'', as [[Wikipedia:List of Saw characters#Brit|Brit]], a real-estate developer who is one of [[Wikipedia:Jigsaw Killer|Jigsaw]]'s five victims. She had a supporting role in ''[[Wikipedia:Punisher: War Zone|Punisher: War Zone]]'' as Angela. Benz co-starred with [[Wikipedia:Sylvester Stallone|Sylvester Stallone]] in 2008's ''[[Wikipedia:Rambo (2008 film)|Rambo]]'', the fourth film of that [[Wikipedia:Rambo (film series)|series]].
 
   
 
Benz appeared on ''The Soup'' with Joel McHale. She next took a recurring role on ''Desperate Housewives'' as Robin Gallagher, a stripper with a heart of gold and a Masters degree in education who gets offered the chance to transition into a more legitimate career. After the season 4 finale of ''Dexter'', Benz returned for the season 5 premiere.
She plays the title role in the short film ''[[Wikipedia:Kidnapping Caitlynn|Kidnapping Caitlynn]]'', written by her close friend [[Wikipedia:Jenny Mollen|Jenny Mollen]], premiered at the Vail Film Festival 2009 and was released online April 6, 2009. She starred in the Lifetime movie ''[[Wikipedia:Held Hostage|Held Hostage]]'' as Michelle Estey in July. She also starred in the Hallmark Channel movie ''[[Wikipedia:Uncorked (2009 film)|Uncorked]]'' as Johnny Prentiss which premiered in the UK in July 2009. She is the lead female character Special Agent Eunice Bloom in ''[[Wikipedia:The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day|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 independent film called ''[[Wikipedia:Bedrooms (film)|Bedrooms]]'' as Anna. She plays Frankie in the upcoming movie ''[[Wikipedia:Answers to Nothing (film)|Answers to Nothing]]'' which is scheduled for a 2011 release.
 
   
  +
In early 2010, ABC announced that Benz had landed a lead role as Stephanie Powell, in the network's drama pilot ''No Ordinary Family''. Production of the series commenced the following May and it premiered on September 28, 2010, as part of the 2010–11 season.  On May 13, 2011, ''No Ordinary Family'' was canceled after one season with only twenty episodes filmed. In 2011, she was cast in the new CBS TV show ''A Gifted Man''. She was originally a co-star but was downgraded to recurring. ''A Gifted Man'' was canceled by CBS in May 2012 after one season of 16 episodes.
Benz appeared on ''[[Wikipedia:The Soup|The Soup]]'' with [[Wikipedia:Joel McHale|Joel McHale]]. Benz next took a recurring role on ''[[Wikipedia:Desperate Housewives|Desperate Housewives]]'' as Robin Gallagher, a stripper with a heart of gold and a Masters degree in education who gets offered the chance to transition into a more legitimate career. The character of Robin is further developed when the audience discovers she is a lesbian and begins an affair with housewife [[Wikipedia:Katherine Mayfair|Katherine Mayfair]] ([[Wikipedia:Dana Delany|Dana Delany]]). After the Season 4 finale of ''[[Wikipedia:Dexter (TV series)|Dexter]]'', she returned for the Season 5 premiere.
 
   
In early 2010, ABC announced that Benz had landed a lead role as Stephanie Powell, in the network's drama pilot ''[[Wikipedia:No Ordinary Family|No Ordinary Family]]''. Production of the series commenced the following May and it premiered on September 28, 2010, as part of the 2010–11 season.  On May 13, 2011, ''No Ordinary Family'' was canceled after one season with only twenty episodes filmed. In 2011, she was cast in the new CBS TV show ''[[Wikipedia:A Gifted Man|A Gifted Man]]''. She was originally a co-star but was downgraded to recurring. ''A Gifted Man'' was canceled by CBS in May 2012 after one season of 16 episodes. She will also be starring in TV movie ''Ricochet'' as Elise Laird.  Benz plays the lead female role, Mayor Amanda Rosewater, in the new science fiction series ''[[Wikipedia:Defiance (TV series)|Defiance]]'' and also stars in the upcoming indie movie ''Supremacy'' and the unaired TV pilot ''Middle Ages''.
+
She will also be starring in TV movie ''Ricochet'' as Elise Laird. Benz plays the lead female role, Mayor Amanda Rosewater, in the new science fiction series ''Defiance'' and also stars in the upcoming indie movie ''Supremacy'' and the unaired TV pilot ''Middle Ages''.
   
  +
==Buffyverse credits==
== Personal Life ==
 
  +
===Episodes===
Benz was married to actor John Kassir. They married in 1998 but filed for divorce in December of 2007. Benz re-married in 2012 to Rich Orosco. 
 
  +
Benz originally auditioned for the role of [[Buffy Summers]]; she described: "I was one of, like, a million girls that went in for it. I wasn't right for the role. I mean, I was five years too old. <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Joss Whedon]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> offered me 'Vampire Girl, Number One' — she didn't even have a name. Then Darla kinda evolved on set as we were filming."<ref>[https://themusic.com.au/features/julie-benz-cyclone/jruBgIOChYQ/10-06-17/ "Julie Benz On The Difficulties Of A 'Buffy' Revival, Her Shocking 'Dexter' Exit & More."] ''theMusic.com.au'', June 9, 2017.</ref> She went on guest-starring as the vampire Darla in the following episodes:
   
  +
*[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer pilot|''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' pilot]]
== Other ==
 
  +
*"[[Welcome to the Hellmouth]]"
* She often plays women who have suffered high traumas or distress
 
  +
*"[[The Harvest]]"
  +
*"[[Angel (episode)|Angel]]"
  +
*"[[Becoming, Part One]]"
  +
*"[[The Prodigal]]"
  +
*"[[Five by Five]]"
  +
*"[[To Shanshu in L.A.]]"
  +
*"[[Judgment]]"
  +
*"[[First Impressions]]"
  +
*"[[Untouched]]"
  +
*"[[Dear Boy]]"
  +
*"[[Fool for Love]]"
  +
*"[[Darla (episode)|Darla]]"
  +
*"[[The Trial]]"
  +
*"[[Reunion]]"
  +
*"[[Redefinition]]"
  +
*"[[Reprise]]"
  +
*"[[Epiphany]]"
  +
*"[[Heartthrob]]"
  +
*"[[That Vision-Thing]]"
  +
*"[[Offspring]]"
  +
*"[[Quickening]]"
  +
*"[[Lullaby]]"
  +
*"[[Inside Out]]"
  +
*"[[The Girl in Question]]"
   
  +
===Featurettes===
* Good friends with ''Buffy ''and ''Angel ''co-stars, [[Charisma Carpenter]] and [[Eliza Dushku]], ''Buffy ''co-star [[Clare Kramer]] and ''Dexter ''co-star Jaime Murray.
 
  +
Benz also appeared in the following featurettes:
   
  +
*"[[A Buffy Bestiary|A ''Buffy'' Bestiary]]"
* Auditioned for a role in ''Eyes Wide Shut ''but decided against it when she discovered there would be scenes filmed where she'd be topless.
 
  +
*"[[Beauty and the Beasts: Behind Buffy's Makeup|Beauty and the Beasts: Behind ''Buffy''{{'}}s Makeup]]"
  +
*"[[Angel Season 2 Overview|''Angel'' Season 2 Overview]]"
  +
*"[[The Sets of Angel|The Sets of ''Angel'']]"
  +
*"[[The Make-Up of Angel|The Make-Up of ''Angel'']]"
  +
*"[[Angel Season 3 Overview|''Angel'' Season 3 Overview]]"
  +
*"[[Darla: Deliver Us From Evil]]"
  +
*"[[From Page to Screen]]"
  +
*"[[Buffy Wraps|''Buffy'' Wraps]]"
  +
*"[[It's Always Been About the Fans]]"
  +
*"[[Halos & Horns: Recurring Villainy]]"
  +
*"[[Angel Unbound: The Gag Reels]]"
   
 
==Gallery==
*Julie Benz later guest-starred with Charisma Carpenter ([[Cordelia Chase]]), Mercedes McNab ([[Harmony Kendall]]), James Marsters ([[Spike]]), Harry Groener ([[Richard Wilkins]]), Jack Plotnick ([[Allan Finch]]), Amber Benson ([[Tara Maclay]]), Amy Acker ([[Winifred Burkle]]/[[Illyria]]), John Rubinstein ([[Linwood Murrow]]), Felicia Day ([[Violet]]), Chad Lindberg ([[David Kirby]]), Jack Conley ([[Gib Cain]]/[[Sahjhan]]), Jeff Kober ([[Zachary Kralik]]/[[Rack]]), Aldis Hodge (Masked Teen), Rob Benedict ([[Jape]]), Todd Stashwick ([[M'Fashnik Demon]]), Jeffrey Dean Morgan ([[Sam Ryan]]), Megalyn Echikunwoke ([[Vaughne]]) and Ridge Canipe ([[Tommy (Smile Time)|Tommy]]) on ''[http://supernatural.wikia.com/wiki/Supernatural Supernatural]''.
 
  +
Benz behind the scenes for ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and ''Angel''.
   
  +
<gallery orientation="square" spacing="small" widths="150">
*Julie Benz later starred with [[Ken Lerner]] ([[Robert Flutie]]), Shawn Pyfrom ([[Hans and Gretta Strauss|Hans Strauss]]), Kathryn Joosten ([[Genevieve Holt]]), Justina Machado ([[Jo]]), [[Pat Crawford Brown]] ([[Wig Lady]]), Ridge Canipe ([[Tommy (Smile Time)|Tommy]]), [[Nathan Fillion]] ([[Caleb]]) on ''[[Wikipedia:Desperate Housewives|Desperate Housewives]]''. Additionally, David Brisbin ([[Mr. Anderson]]), Terry Cain ([[Mrs. Tishler]]), Skip Stellrecht ([[Manetti]]), Julie Michaels ([[Julia]]), Carlease Burke ([[Winslow]]), Patricia Bethune ([[Mrs. Kalish]]/[[Monica Frzylcka]]), Wendy Worthington ([[Lunch Lady]]), Richard Herd ([[Stanley Backer]]), Miriam Flynn ([[Ellen Frank]]), [[Carlos Jacott]] ([[Ken]]/[[Richard Straley]]), Mary-Pat Green ([[Joan]]), Ian Abercrombie ([[Old Man]]), Suzanne Krull ([[Magic shop owner]]), Edward Edwards ([[Travis]]), Whitney Dylan ([[Lysette Torchio]]/[[Marelda]]), Dagney Kerr ([[Kathy Newman]]), Kevin Will ([[Heath]]), David Bickford ([[Cargo Inspector (Hero)|Cargo Inspector]]), Chet Grissom ([[Clark]]), Heather Stephens ([[Shari]]), Sara Van Horn ([[Faith's nurse]]), Chris Flanders ([[Matthew Winslow]]), [[Conor O'Farrell]] ([[McNamara]]), Jarrod Crawford ([[Rondell]]), Joe Basile ([[Lenny Edwards]]), Sven Holmberg ([[Ty]]), John Kapelos ([[Ronald Meeks]]), Tom Breyer ([[Unidentified Writer (Are You Now or Have You Been)|Unidentified writer]]), Michael Bailey Smith ([[Toth]]), David Reivers ([[Unidentified foreman|the foreman]]), Paul Hayes ([[Unidentified Older Night Watchman]]), Robert Dolan ([[Robert Skale]]), Evan Arnold ([[Shempire]]), Nick Chinlund ([[Ellis]]), Ranjani Brow ([[Sister Abigail]]), Victoria Kelleher ([[Val]]), Thomas Kopache (old [[Denver]]), Michael Dempsey ([[Irv Kraigle]]), Lynne Maclean ([[Claire (librarian)|Claire]]), Drew Wicks ([[Blix]]), Lee Whittaker ([[Seekul]]), Ron Melendez ([[James (vampire)|James]]), Bob Morrisey ([[Gregson]]), Alice Lo ([[Unidentified Chinese demon woman|Chinese demon woman]]), Michael Merton ([[Carl Savitsky]]), John O'Leary ([[Kaltenbach]]), Adam Gordon ([[Carl]]), [[John Rubinstein]] ([[Linwood Murrow]]), Matt Casper ([[Cyril]]), Sunny Mabrey ([[Allison]]), Brett Wagner (([[Nahdrah Prince]]/[[Unidentified Bohg'dar demon|Bohg'dar demon]]), Marina Benedict ([[Kim]]), Bernard K. Addison ([[Hotblonde37159|Root Monster]]), Steven Hack ([[Lionel]]), Lee Garlington ([[Jessica Harris]]), Jan Hoag ([[Carol Harris]]), Mel Fair ([[Tentacle Demon]]), Jeff Denton ([[Stevie]]/[[Pelletti]]), Patrick St. Esprit ([[Jenoff]]), Nichole Hiltz ([[Diana (Seeing Red)|Diana]]), Brittany Ishibashi ([[Vivian]]), Thomas Crawford ([[Eater Demon]]), Joyce Guy ([[Hawkins (Selfless)|Hawkins]]), [[Sujata DeChoudhury]] ([[Shy Girl (Storyteller)|Shy Girl]]), Peter Breitmayer ([[Desmond Keel]]), Christopher Gehrman ([[Rudy]]), Roy Werner ([[Heinreich]]), Jenny Vaughn Campbell ([[Tommy's Mom]]) and Stacey Travis ([[Helen Brucker]]) appeared in an episode.
 
  +
Pilot Julie Benz.jpg
  +
B1x02 Benz Thompson Metkalf Balfour.jpg
  +
B2x21 Benz.jpg
  +
B2x21 Benz Boreanaz.jpg
  +
A2x05 Boreanaz Benz.jpg
  +
A2x05 Greenwalt Boreanaz Benz.jpg
  +
B5x07 Marsters Boreanaz.jpg
  +
A5x20 Benz Boreanaz.jpg
 
</gallery>
   
== Quotes ==
+
==External links==
  +
*{{Wikipedia}}
* "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." - On her character Darla in ''Angel.''
 
 
*{{IMDb|0004748}}
  +
*{{Instagram|juliebenzmft}}
   
  +
==References==
* "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." - Her favorite scenes in ''Dexter''.
 
  +
{{References}}
 
== Gallery ==
 
<gallery bordersize="medium" bordercolor="#000000">
 
1-Darla-1-.gif
 
Darlachaste.jpg
 
Darla.png
 
Darla1.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
==External Links==
 
*[[Wikipedia:Julie Benz|Wikipedia]]
 
*{{IMDb actor|0004748}}
 
*[http://twitter.com/juliebenz Julie Benz on Twitter]
 
   
  +
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benz, Julie}}
 
[[Category:Buffy the Vampire Slayer (series) Actors]]
 
[[Category:Angel (series) Actors]]
 
[[Category:Angel (series) Actors]]
[[Category:Buffy the Vampire Slayer (series) Actors]]
 
 
[[Category:Guest Stars]]
 
[[Category:Guest Stars]]
 
[[Category:Special Guest Stars]]
 
[[Category:Special Guest Stars]]
  +
 
[[de:Julie Benz]]
  +
[[fr:Julie Benz]]

Latest revision as of 19:10, 3 March 2024

Julie Benz is an actress who portrayed Darla on both television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.

Career

By 1989, Benz's figure skating career had ended and she got involved with the local theater. Her first small movie role was in The Black Cat segment of Dario Argento/George A. Romero horror film Two Evil Eyes. A year later, she was cast in TV show Honey, I'm Home which was cancelled after two seasons. 

After graduating from high school, Benz enrolled in New York University to study acting. After graduating from there , she moved to Los Angeles where she was offered a bit part in a 1994 episode of Married... With Children. Her other TV roles included Boy Meets World, Diagnosis Murder, and The Single Guy.

In 1996, Benz auditioned for the lead role for upcoming TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but lost out to Sarah Michelle Gellar. However she was offered the small role of Darla, a vampire who had the first line in the show's run. She appeared in more TV roles including The Big Easy and Fame L.A. She made two movies, dark comedy Jawbreaker and Dirt Merchant. The first season of Roswell saw Benz play undercover FBI agent Kathleen Topolsky. 

Benz reprised her role of Darla for TV series Angel in 2000, appearing in at least one episode every season. She appeared as Ursula in the film George of the Jungle 2. Benz appeared in the series PeacemakersCouplingNCIS, and Oliver Beene. She landed the lead role of Annie Garrett in the Hallmark TV movie The Long Shot. Benz also provided the voice of Miranda Keyes for the video game Halo 2. She played the lead role of Danielle in Bad Girls From Valley High (a film shot in 2000 under the title A Fate Totally Worse Than Death) which was released on DVD in 2005. She had a small role in the critically acclaimed TV movie 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 movie 8mm 2 as Lynn.

Benz appeared in episodes of SupernaturalCSI: MiamiLaw & Order, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. She had a supporting role in a Swedish independent movie called Kill Your Darlings, a lead role in the Lifetime movie Circle of Friends and joined the cast of TV show Dexter as Rita Bennett. Benz played a lead role in the fifth film of the popular horror franchise, Saw V, as Brit, a real-estate developer who is one of Jigsaw's five victims. She had a supporting role in Punisher: War Zone as Angela. Benz starred with in 2008's Rambo, the fourth film of that series.

She plays the title role in the short film Kidnapping Caitlynn, which premiered at the Vail Film Festival 2009. That same year, she starred in the Lifetime movie Held Hostage as Michelle Estey. She also starred in the Hallmark Channel movie Uncorked as Johnny Prentiss. She is the lead female character Special Agent Eunice Bloom in The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day. She has been cast in another independent film called Bedrooms as Anna. She plays Frankie in the movie Answers to Nothing.

Benz appeared on The Soup with Joel McHale. She next took a recurring role on Desperate Housewives as Robin Gallagher, a stripper with a heart of gold and a Masters degree in education who gets offered the chance to transition into a more legitimate career. After the season 4 finale of Dexter, Benz returned for the season 5 premiere.

In early 2010, ABC announced that Benz had landed a lead role as Stephanie Powell, in the network's drama pilot No Ordinary Family. Production of the series commenced the following May and it premiered on September 28, 2010, as part of the 2010–11 season.  On May 13, 2011, No Ordinary Family was canceled after one season with only twenty episodes filmed. In 2011, she was cast in the new CBS TV show A Gifted Man. She was originally a co-star but was downgraded to recurring. A Gifted Man was canceled by CBS in May 2012 after one season of 16 episodes.

She will also be starring in TV movie Ricochet as Elise Laird. Benz plays the lead female role, Mayor Amanda Rosewater, in the new science fiction series Defiance and also stars in the upcoming indie movie Supremacy and the unaired TV pilot Middle Ages.

Buffyverse credits

Episodes

Benz originally auditioned for the role of Buffy Summers; she described: "I was one of, like, a million girls that went in for it. I wasn't right for the role. I mean, I was five years too old. [Joss Whedon] offered me 'Vampire Girl, Number One' — she didn't even have a name. Then Darla kinda evolved on set as we were filming."[1] She went on guest-starring as the vampire Darla in the following episodes:

Featurettes

Benz also appeared in the following featurettes:

Gallery

Benz behind the scenes for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.

External links

References