Melissa Benoist is a talented American actress and singer. Her initial significant role was that of Marley Rose in the Fox musical comedy-drama Glee (2012–2014), where she was a series regular in the fifth season.
She gained considerable recognition for her portrayal of the title character in the CBS/CW superhero series Supergirl (2015–2021), which was complemented by associated media within the Arrowverse franchise.
Childhood & Family
Melissa Marie Benoist was born on October 4, 1988, in Houston, Texas, to her parents, Julie and Jim Benoist, a physician. They separated when she was thirteen, in 2002. Her paternal great-grandfather was of French heritage.
She has two sisters: Jessica, a novelist, and Kristina, who works as an ecological scientist, in addition to five half-siblings from her father’s remarriage.
During her teenage years, she completed her education at Arapahoe High School, located in Centennial, Colorado, in 2007, after which she relocated to New York City to follow a career in musical theatre.
Initially, she enrolled in the BFA musical theatre program at Marymount Manhattan College. However, in her second year, she changed her major to theater, inspired by her appreciation for 19th-century Russian plays. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts from Marymount Manhattan College in 2011.
Melissa Benoist’s Career
Melissa Benoist made her film debut in 2008 with Tennessee, alongside singer Mariah Carey. Subsequently, she appeared as a guest on various television shows, including Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Blue Bloods, Homeland, and The Good Wife, all while pursuing her college education.
In 2011, she portrayed the character Kelly in the Goodspeed Musicals production of The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown, written by Bree Lowdermilk and Kait Kerrigan, at the Norma Terris Theatre.
In May 2012, Melissa Benoist auditioned for the musical comedy-drama series Glee in New York. She played the role of Marley Rose during the fourth and fifth seasons of Glee.
Her initial appearance as Marley Rose occurred in the first episode of season four, which was titled “The New Rachel”. Alongside her Glee co-star Darren Criss, she appeared with Josh Duhamel at the beginning of the 2013 Kids’ Choice Awards.
Melissa Benoist portrayed the character Nicole in Damien Chazelle’s independent drama film Whiplash, released in 2014, which received prestigious accolades, including the Grand Jury and Audience awards at the Sundance Film Festival that same year.
In June 2014, she became part of the cast for Nicholas Sparks’ film adaptation The Longest Ride, taking on the role of Marcia. Additionally, she appeared in the 2015 film Danny Collins.
In October 2015, CBS launched the superhero adventure series Supergirl, with Melissa Benoist portraying the character Kara Zor-El.
She became the first woman to take the lead in a prime-time superhero television series since Wonder Woman ended in 1979 and Lindsay Wagner’s The Bionic Woman in 1978.
On September 18, 2024, it was announced that she had become part of the cast for the Netflix family drama The Waterfront. On December 5, 2024, it was revealed that Melissa Benoist would star in a new NBC drama series named Duo.
This project is in the development stage and will be produced by her company, Three Things Productions. She will also fulfill the role of executive producer for the series.
Personal Life
In 2015, it was revealed that Melissa Benoist and her Glee co-star, Blake Jenner, had tied the knot. Benoist remarked that they had been married “longer than anyone is aware of,” with certain sources asserting that the couple actually exchanged vows in the same year they got engaged, which was 2013.
In late December 2016, she initiated divorce proceedings, citing “irreconcilable differences.” The divorce was concluded in December 2017.
In 2016, Melissa Benoist met Chris Wood after he was cast as Mon-El in the second season of Supergirl, and their romantic relationship was officially confirmed in 2017.
Benoist and Wood announced their engagement on February 10, 2019, and they were married in September 2019, having a private ceremony in Ojai, California.
On March 4, 2020, the couple announced via Instagram that they were expecting their first child. They later announced the arrival of their son on September 25, 2020.
Net Worth
Melissa Benoist is an American actress and singer with a net worth of $4 million. She is primarily recognized for her role as the title character in the CBS television series Supergirl.
From 2012 to 2014, Benoist portrayed Marley Rose in the TV series Glee. Additionally, Benoist has appeared in films such as Tennessee, Whiplash, Danny Collins, The Longest Ride, and Band of Robbers.
