Julie Benz

Dexter? Rambo? Looking for love in all the wrong places

It takes a hell of a man to upstage screen beauty Julie Benz. Specifically, a vampire, a psychotic vigilante or an aging mercenary with a questionable surgical history.

Best known to Goth nerds all over the world as Darla from the cult TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff series Angel, Benz also appeared in the geek-friendly alien conspiracy series Roswell. As we speak, some guy with bad skin and a greasy Spider-Man T-shirt is mashing all his favourite Julie Benz clips with a Evanescence ballad, and will later post his adoring tribute on YouTube.

These days, Benz has been keeping company with two more earthbound bloodhounds; playing the titular mad killer’s emotionally scarred girlfriend in the cable hit Dexter and now Sylvester Stallone’s damsel in distress in the latest Rambo instalment, which pits kind-hearted Christian missionaries (led by Benz’s character) against sadistic, godless Burmese generals. Obvious American foreign-policy metaphors, anyone?

Despite her penchant for gore-splattered roles, Benz is, in person, a small, bright-eyed, perky sort who speaks with just the hint of a Jan Brady accent. Juntas beware!

I’m told you filmed Rambo "in the jungle." The jungles of where, Burbank?

Noooo, the jungles of Thailand. It was scary. First of all, I got cast in the movie and then they said, you need to go to the doctor and get, like, 17 vaccinations. I was like, what? Typhoid, what’s that?

Rambo, the character, is often used as shorthand by critics of U.S. aggression. Is this a good time politically to be releasing another Rambo lock ’n’ load movie?

[Crinkles face] I was always under the impression Rambo represented reluctant American aggression, because he’s always reluctant to get involved, especially in this movie. He wants to be left alone, he doesn’t want to get involved, he doesn’t believe in war. But of course he ends up getting involved.

Had you seen the other films?

I watched them after I got cast, but only [the first and second]. I was told not to watch No. 3. He said not to watch No. 3 and he was my boss, so I listened to him.

"He" being Sylvester Stallone?

Yes, and he’s a big guy.

Still? Or is it all CGI now?

He’s not CGIed at all! He’s still that big!

You’re in Rambo, Dexter, and the upcoming Punisher 2 - you’re cornering the vigilante heroine market.

Hee-hee! I think all the characters are very different, but they just happen to be in these dark, anti-hero movies. It’s not a subconscious choice; I just choose projects that seem interesting to me. I’m not really sitting there saying, ’Oooh, this is another dark one.’

Because, really, I want to do romantic comedy. It just hasn’t fallen into my lap yet. It’s always been a dream of mine to be the girl in a romantic comedy, to shoot a movie in New York City and play a fashion designer and keep all my wardrobe after - to actually experience the glamour side of the business. I’m always in these jungle movies, playing characters who wear clothes from Target and don’t wear any makeup.

Did you keep your jungle clothes?

They offered them to me, but I said, you know, you can keep them. I mean, who negotiated that?

This film is set in Myanmar.

Let’s call it Burma. I’ve been educated that the Burmese military government changed the name to Myanmar when they took over. By saying Myanmar, you are basically supporting them, rather than the democracy that should be there.

Did you know about Burma

before being cast in Rambo?

I did not. I was educated by the U.S. Campaign For Burma, who I’ve been doing some work for. Reading the script piqued my interest and I started doing some research online. I just felt that this was my opportunity to spread the word about what’s going on in this part of the world. When you see the pictures online, it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen - children being raped and murdered. They still do human sacrifices, they rip out hearts! It’s brutal, and you can’t turn your back on that.

Rumour has it you’re playing the alcoholic Sue-Ellen in the upcoming Dallas movie. Have you started drinking heavily to prepare?

Well, the drinking heavily part has been there a long time! It’s just a rumour.

You’ll neither confirm nor deny?

Actually, I am being completely honest, it’s a rumour. No one has approached us about it, there’s been no talk about it. I would love it. I think it would be fun. I’m a big fan of Dallas, I grew up watching it, and Sue-Ellen would be a kick to play, but it’s just a rumour.

If this Rambo is a hit, will you do the next one?

I would definitely do it again! It was one of the best jobs of my life.

So, I guess your character

survives.

I didn’t say if she did or not - I just said if there was another one, I would do it. Maybe as a different character? Maybe I’d play Rambo?

A tranny Rambo!

Rambetty!

Particulars

BORN

May 1, 1972, Pittsburgh.

STAR ON ICE

As a child Benz was a competitive ice dancer and came in 13th in the U.S. Championships in junior ice dancing in 1988. (Her older siblings won it the year before.) PARENTAL GUIDANCE

"I started skating when I was three years old," Benz said in an interview last year. "Do we really know what we want at 3? I think what [my mom] was really trying to instill in all of us was a work ethic. A level of commitment. A lot of lessons I learned as a skater I definitely carried into my acting career. I made the decision that I wanted to be a performer."

LESSONS

Benz studied drama at New York University, and then moved to Los Angeles