Julie Benz

Julie Benz
Benz at PaleyFest 2010's Dexter night at the Saban Theatre on March 4, 2010
Born	Julie M. Benz (1972-05-01) May 1, 1972 (age 44) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Alma mater	New York University
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1990–present
Spouse(s)	John Kassir (m. 1998; div. 2007) Rich Orosco (m. 2012)

Julie M. Benz (born May 1, 1972) is an American actress, best known for her roles as Darla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel (1997–2004) and Rita Bennett on Dexter (2006–2010), for which she won the 2006 Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress and the 2009 Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress. She has also starred on the series Roswell (1999–2000), Desperate Housewives (2010), No Ordinary Family (2010–2011), A Gifted Man (2011–2012), Defiance (2013–2015) and Hawaii Five-0 (2015–present). Her film roles include Jawbreaker (1999), The Brothers (2001), Rambo, Saw V and Punisher: War Zone (all 2008), The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (2009), and Bedrooms (2010).

Benz was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, grew up in Murrysville, and graduated from Franklin Regional High School. Her mother, Joanne Marie (née Seemiller), was a figure skater, and her father, George Benz, Jr., is a surgeon in Pittsburgh. The family settled in nearby Murrysville when Benz was two, and she started ice skating when she was three. She competed in the 1988 U.S. Championships in junior ice dancing with her skating partner David Schilling, and finished in 13th place. When Benz was 14, she suffered a stress fracture in her right leg and had to take time off.