She competed in the 1988 U.S. Championships in junior ice dancing with David Schilling, placing 13th. Her older sister and brother, Jennifer and Jeffrey, were the 1987 U.S. Junior Champions in ice dancing and competed internationally.
Auditioned for a role in Eyes Wide Shut (1999). She was called back to audition for the role again, but decided against it when she was going to have to do the scene topless.
Was once ranked the number 12 ice skater in the United States. Julie has lost two roles to Sarah Michelle Gellar. The first was the role of Kendall Hart on "All My Children" (1970). The second was the role of Buffy on TV's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997).
She was originally cast to play the character "Ellie Sparks" in the un-aired pilot of the TV show "Glory Days" (2002).
Attended Franklin Regional Sr. High School in Murrysville, Pennsylvania
Julie Benz Detailed Biography
The Pittsburgh, Pa. native comes from a long line of medical professionals and was determined to be the first female doctor in the family. However, after she watched her first surgery, she decided against a medical career. From ages 3 to 13, Benz competed as a professional ice skater and at one time during her skating career was ranked thirteenth in the country. An audition for a local community theater set her on the path toward an acting career.
In the spring of 2001, Benz co-starred opposite Bill Bellamy and Shemar Moore in The Brothers and will be seen in the upcoming A Fate Totally Worse Than Death. Previously, Benz co-starred opposite Rose McGowan in the film Jawbreaker, as well as appeared in As Good As It Gets opposite Academy Award winner Jack Nicholson, Black Sheep and Inventing the Abbotts with Billy Crudup.
Benz, who is a gourmet chef, makes her home in Los Angeles with her husband and their two dogs, Elvis and Gracie. She is extremely dedicated to fitness and enjoys doing Tae Bo, hiking and playing golf. She is also an avid crafts enthusiast and has recently become a knitting pro, especially baby blankets for the charity Binky Patrol, which distributes blankets to kids in need.
