Melissa Benoist

Real Name	: Melissa Marie Benoist
Born	; October 4, 1988 Littleton, Colorado, U.S.
Occupation	: Actress, singer

Personal Life

Melissa Marie Benoist born October 4, 1988 is an American actress and singer known for her portrayal of Marley Rose on season four and the first part of season five on the Fox musical comedy-drama television series Glee. She has also appeared in a number of television series including Homeland, The Good Wife and Law & Order. Benoist's first film was in singer Mariah Carey's Tennessee. She appeared in the film Whiplash (2014), which won top prizes (Grand Jury and Audience awards) at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, January 2014. She has completed filming Danny Collins set for a 2015 release, starring Jennifer Garner, Al Pacino, and Annette Bening. She will be starring as Supergirl in the CBS television series of the same name.

She was born and raised in Littleton, Colorado, the daughter of Jim and Julie Benoist. Benoist has two biological sisters Jessica and Kristina. From her father's re-marriage, she has five half siblings; Tanner, Estella, Coco, Rocket and Tor. She graduated from Arapahoe High School in Centennial, Colorado in 2007 and from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City in 2011.


Benoist made her film debut in Tennessee in 2008. In May 2012, she auditioned for Glee in New York at the Roundabout Theatre Company, singing a different song for each of her five auditions including: "Fidelity" by Regina Spektor, "King of Anything" by Sara Bareilles, a Colbie Caillat song, and several musical theater pieces. In July, she had two screen tests in California for series creator/writer, Ryan Murphy, the casting directors, and executive producers. As the show's executives had been looking for an actress who could play the part of Marley for some time, Benoist began work immediately.