Julie Benz (born May 1, 1972 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American actress. Benz grew up in Murrysville, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Franklin Regional High School in 1991. She later graduated from New York University. Initially, Benz followed her mother and older siblings, Jeffrey and Jennifer, into the figure skating field, and competed in the 1988 US Junior Ice Skating Championship. Benz gave up her pursuit of ice skating after an accident.
Benz achieved her first acting role in a local play in 1989. She is best known[citation needed] for playing the vampire Darla in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, where she was the first character seen on screen and spoke the first line, and later in the spin-off series, Angel. She has acted in such films as Jawbreaker and As Good as It Gets.