Julie Benz

Julie Benz

- Julie was born in Pittsburgh, PA to a surgeon father, and a figure skater mother. Julie began ice skating at the age of three, and competed in the 1988 U.S. Championships in junior ice dancing. She finished 13th, and realized that perhaps professional ice dancing may not be the correct career path.

- In 1996, Benz auditioned for the role of Buffy Summers in the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997), but lost out to Sarah Michelle Gellar. However, she was offered a small role the vampire Darla in the pilot episode. Her performance was so well-received that her part was expanded to a few more episodes. The role helped launch her career.

Julie a native of Pittsburgh, and a daughter of a vascular surgeon comes from a long line of doctors. She was determined to be the first female doctor in the family, until a small teenage infraction caused her father to issue an ultimatum: Be grounded or watch hemmorroid surgery. She watched the surgery and decided against a medical career.
When a skating career ended, Julie auditioned for a local community theatre play and won the part. Soon after, she attended an acting seminar with two well known West Coast casting directors and a New York based manager, Vincent Cirrincione, who has represented her since that time. After studying at NYU, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career.

Julie has been in Jossverse from the word "go", when her character of Darla appeared in the pilot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The once long-time lover and partner in crime to the great Angelus, the pair wreaked havoc across the world, leaving a bloody trail behind them.
Despite Darla being staked in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, writers caused a stir by bringing the character back in the first season finale of Angel. In season two, a further twist was added when it was revealed that Darla was human. The creativity of the writers came forth with the character of Darla when she was sired by Drusilla and later became pregnant by Angel. The once unfeeling creature staked herself in order to give her son life.

'What would people be surprised to learn about you?"

Julie Benz: "I love to stay at home, not going anywhere and staying in my pajamas all day. I don't get to do it a lot. I live a very quiet life; people would be surprised to learn that I'm boring. It doesn't take much to make me smile."