Julie Benz

Julie Benz is an American actress best known for her roles on the TV series Angel, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, and Dexter. Her most indelible film role is in the 1997 film, As Good As It Gets, where she plays the air-headed receptionist at Jack Nicholson’s publishing company. She tells him it’s great to know that “someone out there knows what it feels like to be in here.” Jack replies “this is my nightmare,” when to most men an opening like this with Julie would be an absolute dream.

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.

Julie decided to try her hand at acting, and immediately found success. She was cast in the Dario Argento/George A. Romero co-directed Due Occhi Diabolici (1990), and played across from Harvey Keitel. On year later, she got a role on a TV show, Hi Honey, I’m Home. She then decided to studying acting at New York University. After graduation, she moved to Los Angeles and landed roles on Married with Children and in an Aaron Spelling pilot called Crosstown Traffic. Julie auditioned for the role of "Buffy" in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but lost out to Sarah Michelle Gellar. However, the creators took a shine to her, and decided to cast her in the role as Darla. She became so well-liked as a character that she was brought back throughout the series in flashbacks and alternate realities, and eventually to life itself in the new spin-off, Angel (1999).

That same year, she also auditioned for Eyes Wide Shut, but passed on the role when she found out it required nudity. Tsk, tsk, Julie. How do you expect to maintain your male fanbase?

Julie starred in the hit television show, Dexter, as the main character’s girlfriend. On the side, she’s done work in Law & Order, CSI, and CSI: Miami. She also has parts in the upcoming Rambo and The Punisher: War Zone. In 2010 she starred in the ABC show, "No Ordinary Family." Apparently, Julie likes being in projects with high body counts, and lots of action. If anything could make watching a 60-year-old Stallone attempt to be a badass soldier again, it would be seeing a sweaty Julie trudging through the jungles at his side.