# Julie Benz
**Julie Benz** is an American actress known for playing the vampire Darla in *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* and its spin-off *Angel* and [Rita Bennett](https://www.edgepedia.org/rita-bennett) on the Showtime drama *Dexter*, a role for which she won a Satellite Award and a Saturn Award[1](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/julie-benz). Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1972, she trained first as a competitive ice dancer before an injury ended that career and she turned to acting[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/3485/julie-benz). Her later television work includes series leads in *No Ordinary Family* and *Defiance*, and her film credits include *[Rambo](https://www.edgepedia.org/rambo-2008-film)* (2008), *Saw V* (2008), and *Punisher: War Zone* (2008)[1](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/julie-benz).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1972, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julie_benz) |
| Signature TV roles | Darla on *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* and *Angel* (1997–2004); Rita Bennett on *Dexter* (2006–2010)[1](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/julie-benz) |
| Awards | 2006 Satellite Award and 2009 Saturn Award, both for Best Supporting Actress for *Dexter*[1](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/julie-benz) |
| Early sport | Competed in the 1988 U.S. Championships in junior ice dancing with partner David Schilling, placing 13th[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/3485/julie-benz) |
| Training | Acting degree from New York University; moved to Los Angeles after graduating[4](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/julie-benz/bio/3000200628/) |
| Series leads | *No Ordinary Family* (2010–2011), *Defiance* (2013–2015), plus recurring roles on *Roswell*, *Desperate Housewives*, *Hawaii Five-0*, and *Love, Victor*[1](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/julie-benz) |
| Notable films | *Rambo* (2008), *Saw V* (2008), *Punisher: War Zone* (2008), *The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day* (2009)[1](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/julie-benz) |
## Early life and ice skating
Benz was born in Pittsburgh, where her father was a surgeon and her mother a figure ice skater[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/3485/julie-benz). The family settled in nearby Murrysville when she was two, and she began skating at age three, following her mother into the sport[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/3485/julie-benz). Her older brother and sister, Jeffrey and Jennifer, were 1987 U.S. Junior Champions in ice dancing and competed internationally[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/3485/julie-benz).
Benz competed in the 1988 U.S. Championships in junior ice dancing with her partner David Schilling and finished 13th[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/3485/julie-benz). At 14 she suffered a stress fracture that forced time away from the ice, and by 1989 her skating career was over[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/3485/julie-benz). She turned to acting through local theater, taking a role in the play *Street Law*, and studied acting at New York University before moving to Los Angeles[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/3485/julie-benz) • [4](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/julie-benz/bio/3000200628/).
## Screen debut and early roles
Her first film role was a small speaking part in the "Black Cat" episode of *Two Evil Eyes* (*Due occhi diabolici*, 1990), the horror anthology co-directed by [Dario Argento](https://www.edgepedia.org/dario-argento) and [George A. Romero](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-a-romero), in a scene with [Harvey Keitel](https://www.edgepedia.org/harvey-keitel)[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/3485/julie-benz). She then appeared in the television series *Hi Honey, I'm Home* (1991) and took guest parts on shows including *Married... with Children*, *Boy Meets World*, *Diagnosis Murder*, and *Step by Step*[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/3485/julie-benz).
In 1996 she auditioned for the lead role in *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* and lost it to [Sarah Michelle Gellar](https://www.edgepedia.org/sarah-michelle-gellar), but she was offered a small part as a vampire girl; her performance led to an expanded role as the vampire Darla[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/3485/julie-benz). She reprised Darla on the spin-off *Angel* and appeared in the two franchises through 2004[1](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/julie-benz). In this period she also had a small role as a receptionist in *As Good as It Gets* (1997) and a recurring part as Kathleen Topolsky on *Roswell*[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/3485/julie-benz).
## Dexter and awards
From 2006 Benz played Rita Bennett, a divorced mother who becomes the girlfriend and later wife of the title character, a Miami blood-spatter analyst who is secretly a serial killer, played by [Michael C. Hall](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-c-hall)[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/3485/julie-benz). Rita knows nothing of Dexter's dark side, and Benz described playing her simply as a woman who believes her husband loves her[5](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2008/11/qa-dexters-julie-benz). Benz called Rita the "tugboat" of the relationship, the one who constantly had to move it forward[5](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2008/11/qa-dexters-julie-benz).
The role brought her the 2006 Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and the 2009 Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on [Television](https://www.edgepedia.org/television)[1](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/julie-benz). She was also nominated for [Screen Actors Guild](https://www.edgepedia.org/screen-actors-guild) ensemble awards with the *Dexter* cast in 2009 and 2010[4](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/julie-benz/bio/3000200628/).
**The character's death.** Rita was killed by the season-four antagonist Trinity at the end of the show's fourth season; Dexter finds her body in a bathtub in the finale, a scene that changed the tone of the series and became one of its most discussed moments[6](https://elpais.com/icon/2025-04-26/rupturas-viajes-en-el-tiempo-y-todo-tipo-de-asesinatos-nueve-capitulos-que-traumatizaron-a-los-espectadores.html). Benz said on the *Inside of You* podcast that the departure was the worst moment of her career: "I felt so vulnerable. I was crying, very upset. I loved the show"[6](https://elpais.com/icon/2025-04-26/rupturas-viajes-en-el-tiempo-y-todo-tipo-de-asesinatos-nueve-capitulos-que-traumatizaron-a-los-espectadores.html). She returned to television soon afterward with a recurring role on *Desperate Housewives*[6](https://elpais.com/icon/2025-04-26/rupturas-viajes-en-el-tiempo-y-todo-tipo-de-asesinatos-nueve-capitulos-que-traumatizaron-a-los-espectadores.html).
## Film work: Rambo, Saw V, and genre roles
In 2008 Benz played Sarah, a missionary captured in Burma, in [Sylvester Stallone](https://www.edgepedia.org/sylvester-stallone)'s *Rambo*, and appeared the same year as Brit in *Saw V* and as Angela in *Punisher: War Zone*[1](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/julie-benz) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julie_benz). She noted the contrast with television work: on *Buffy* and *Angel* action scenes were often shot second unit by stunt doubles on separate days, while on *Rambo* she did much of the physical work herself at Stallone's encouragement[7](https://www.hollywood.com/general/julie-benz-interview-rambo-punisher-2-57174836). She later said that playing a die-hard idealist in a war-ravaged country turned her into a vocal activist for the U.S. Campaign for Burma[8](https://www.buddytv.com/emerald-city-comicon-qa-session-with-julie-benz/) • [4](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/julie-benz/bio/3000200628/).
Her other films include *[Jawbreaker](https://www.edgepedia.org/jawbreaker-film)* (1999), *The Brothers* (2001), and *The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day* (2009)[1](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/julie-benz). On Rotten Tomatoes her highest-rated film is *Foster Boy* (2019), in which she played Pamela Dupree[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julie_benz).
## Later television
After *Dexter*, Benz starred as Stephanie Powell, a mother with superpowers, opposite [Michael Chiklis](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-chiklis) in ABC's *No Ordinary Family* (2010–2011)[9](https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/julie-benz/) • [1](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/julie-benz). She then played Mayor Amanda Rosewater on the Syfy series *[Defiance](https://www.edgepedia.org/defiance-tv-series)* (2013–2015)[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/3485/julie-benz).
Her subsequent series work included Inspector Abby Dunn on *Hawaii Five-0* (2015–2017, 13 episodes), Holly Butler on *Training Day* (2017), Carole Wilkes on *On Becoming a God in Central Florida* (2019), and guest arcs as Shelby in *Love, Victor* and Sadie Becker in *9-1-1: Lone Star*[1](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/julie-benz) • [10](https://www.fernsehserien.de/julie-benz/filmografie). She has also worked in made-for-television movies, including four [Hallmark Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/hallmark-channel) originals in lead roles between 2004 and 2017: *The Long Shot*, *Uncorked*, *Charming Christmas*, and *Christmas Homecoming*[1](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/julie-benz).
## Personal life
Benz married actor [John Kassir](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-kassir) on May 30, 1998; the marriage ended in divorce, filed in 2007[11](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/benz-julie-1972) • [12](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrities/julie-benz/). She announced her engagement to marketing executive Rich Orosco in June 2011[12](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrities/julie-benz/). She lives in the Los Angeles area[9](https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/julie-benz/).
## References
1. [Julie Benz, HallmarkPedia](https://www.hallmarkpedia.com/people/julie-benz)
2. [Julie Benz, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/3485/julie-benz)
3. [Julie Benz, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julie_benz)
4. [Julie Benz Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/julie-benz/bio/3000200628/)
5. [Q&A: Dexter's Julie Benz, Vanity Fair (2008)](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2008/11/qa-dexters-julie-benz)
6. [Rupturas, viajes en el tiempo y todo tipo de asesinatos, El País (2025)](https://elpais.com/icon/2025-04-26/rupturas-viajes-en-el-tiempo-y-todo-tipo-de-asesinatos-nueve-capitulos-que-traumatizaron-a-los-espectadores.html)
7. [A Babe Among Bullets: Julie Benz Unloads on 'Rambo' and 'Punisher 2', Hollywood.com (2008)](https://www.hollywood.com/general/julie-benz-interview-rambo-punisher-2-57174836)
8. [Emerald City ComiCon: Q&A Session with Julie Benz, BuddyTV (2008)](https://www.buddytv.com/emerald-city-comicon-qa-session-with-julie-benz/)
9. [Julie Benz, Pittsburgh Magazine (2011)](https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/julie-benz/)
10. [Filmografie Julie Benz, fernsehserien.de](https://www.fernsehserien.de/julie-benz/filmografie)
11. [Benz, Julie 1972–, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/benz-julie-1972)
12. [Julie Benz, Us Weekly](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrities/julie-benz/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Be to Bl*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license