32 Facts About Julie Benz

Julie Benz was born on May 1,1972 and is an American actress.

Julie Benz is known for her roles as Darla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, and as Rita Bennett on Dexter, for which she won the 2006 Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress and the 2009 Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Julie Benz's mother, Joanne Marie, was a figure skater, and her father, George Benz, Jr.

The family settled in nearby Murrysville, Pennsylvania, when Julie Benz was two, and she started ice skating when she was three.

Julie Benz attended and graduated from Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville.

When Julie Benz was 14, she suffered a stress fracture in her right leg and had to take time off from skating.

Julie Benz starred in another unaired TV pilot called Empire in 1995.

Julie Benz had an uncredited role in Black Sheep and her appearance in Diagnosis: Murder as top figure skater "Julie" allowed her to demonstrate her skating talent.

Julie Benz played Christy in the television film Hearts Adrift and a lead role as Julie Falcon in Darkdrive.

In 1996, Julie Benz auditioned for the role of Buffy Summers for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but lost the role to Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Julie Benz's performance was so well-received that her part was expanded to a few more episodes.

Julie Benz starred in the short spoof film Eating Las Vegas and the unaired TV pilot Veronica's Video, had a small uncredited role in the television film A Walton Easter, and a small role in Inventing the Abbotts.

Julie Benz made two films, the dark comedy Jawbreaker and Dirt Merchant, before landing a lead role in the TV series Payne, an American remake of the British sitcom Fawlty Towers.

Julie Benz reprised her role as Darla in 2000 for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spin-off series Angel, appearing in every season for at least one episode.

Julie Benz was a guest host for the TV show Rendez-View, cast as Ellie Sparks in Glory Days and appeared in the unaired pilot; however, she left the show.

Julie Benz landed the lead role of Annie Garrett in the television film The Long Shot and provided the voice of Miranda Keyes for the video game Halo 2, though she did not return to the role in the sequel Halo 3, as Bungie wanted to try a new direction with the Miranda Keyes voice by giving the character an accent.

Julie Benz portrayed Danielle in the direct-to-DVD film Bad Girls from Valley High in 2005.

Julie Benz had a small role in the critically acclaimed television film Lackawanna Blues.

Julie Benz appeared in the straight-to-DVD film 8mm 2 as Lynn.

Julie Benz had a supporting role in the Swedish independent film Kill Your Darlings, a lead role in the television film Circle of Friends, and joined the cast of the TV show Dexter as Rita Bennett, Dexter Morgan's girlfriend and eventual wife.

Julie Benz played a lead role in the fifth film of the popular Saw horror franchise, Saw V, as Brit, a real estate developer who is one of Jigsaw's five victims.

Julie Benz had a supporting role in Punisher: War Zone as Angela and co-starred with Sylvester Stallone in Rambo, the fourth film of the series.

Julie Benz played the title role in the short film Kidnapping Caitlynn, written by her close friend Jenny Mollen, which premiered at the Vail Film Festival 2009 and was released online April 6,2009.

Julie Benz starred in the television film Held Hostage as Michelle Estey.

Julie Benz starred in the television film Uncorked as Johnny Prentiss which premiered in the UK in July 2009.

Julie Benz is the lead female character Special Agent Eunice Bloom in The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day which had a limited release on October 30,2009, and was released on DVD March 9,2010.

Julie Benz has been cast in another indie film called Bedrooms as Anna.

Julie Benz played Frankie in the 2011 film Answers to Nothing.

Julie Benz next took a recurring role on Desperate Housewives as Robin Gallagher, a stripper with a heart of gold and a master's degree in education who gets offered the chance to transition into a more legitimate career.

In early 2010, ABC announced that Julie Benz had landed a lead role as Stephanie Powell in the network's drama pilot No Ordinary Family.

Julie Benz was cast in the television film Ricochet as Elise Laird.

In 2015, Julie Benz landed a recurring role in the CBS series Hawaii Five-O, playing the latest team member and Chin Ho's girlfriend, Abby Dunn.